WhatsApp, Doc? A First Look at WhatsApp Public Group Data
Kiran Garimella, Gareth Tyson

TL;DR
This paper introduces a methodology and dataset for collecting and analyzing public WhatsApp group data to facilitate social science research, highlighting its potential for understanding social dynamics.
Contribution
It presents a generalisable data collection method and a publicly available dataset for WhatsApp groups, enabling further research in social sciences.
Findings
Successful collection of public WhatsApp group data
Statistical insights into WhatsApp group characteristics
Potential applications for social science research
Abstract
In this dataset paper we describe our work on the collection and analysis of public WhatsApp group data. Our primary goal is to explore the feasibility of collecting and using WhatsApp data for social science research. We therefore present a generalisable data collection methodology, and a publicly available dataset for use by other researchers. To provide context, we perform statistical exploration to allow researchers to understand what public WhatsApp group data can be collected and how this data can be used. Given the widespread use of WhatsApp, our techniques to obtain public data and potential applications are important for the community.
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Taxonomy
TopicsComplex Network Analysis Techniques · Social Media and Politics · Impact of Technology on Adolescents
