Characterizing the public perception of WhatsApp through the lens of media

TL;DR

This study analyzes media coverage of WhatsApp to understand public perception, revealing shifts in associated topics over time, especially around misinformation, politics, and scams in 2018, highlighting its societal impact.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive media analysis of WhatsApp, illustrating how its perception has evolved and identifying key themes linked to misinformation and societal issues.

Findings

Media coverage of WhatsApp has shifted towards topics like misinformation and politics in 2018.

Vocabulary and topics associated with WhatsApp have changed over the years.

Media analysis reveals societal concerns and perceptions about WhatsApp's role in information dissemination.

Abstract

WhatsApp is, as of 2018, a significant component of the global information and communication infrastructure, especially in developing countries. However, probably due to its strong end-to-end encryption, WhatsApp became an attractive place for the dissemination of misinformation, extremism and other forms of undesirable behavior. In this paper, we investigate the public perception of WhatsApp through the lens of media. We analyze two large datasets of news and show the kind of content that is being associated with WhatsApp in different regions of the world and over time. Our analyses include the examination of named entities, general vocabulary, and topics addressed in news articles that mention WhatsApp, as well as the polarity of these texts. Among other results, we demonstrate that the vocabulary and topics around the term "whatsapp" in the media have been changing over the years and in 2018 concentrate on matters related to misinformation, politics and criminal scams. More generally, our findings are useful to understand the impact that tools like WhatsApp play in the contemporary society and how they are seen by the communities themselves.