Social media and the resulting tidal wave of available
data have changed the ways and methods researchers
analyze communities at scale. But the full potential for
social scientists (and others) is not yet achieved.
Despite the popularity of social media analysis in the
past decade, few researchers invest in cross-platform
analyses. This is a major oversight as 42% of Online
Social Media users have multiple social media accounts.
Missing are the models and tools necessary to
undertake analysis at scale across multiple platforms.
Especially promising in support of cross-platform
analysis is the mixed method approach (e.g. qualitative
and quantitative methods) in order to better
understand how users and society interacts online. The
workshop ‘Following User Pathways’ brings together a
community of researchers and professionals to address
methodological, analytical, conceptual, and
technological challenges and opportunities of crossplatform,
mixed method analysis in social media
ecosystems.