{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T23:30:19Z","timestamp":1777937419806,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,2]],"date-time":"2024-12-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1733097600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,2]],"date-time":"2024-12-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1733097600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"funder":[{"name":"Cheers, for now: The Dominic Lasorsa endowed excellence fund"},{"name":"Omidyar Network"},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000001","name":"National Science Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2230616"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2230616"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000001","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100005959","name":"John S. and James L. Knight Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100005959","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000919","name":"Open Society Foundations","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000919","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["New Media &amp; Society"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Recent studies have explored how the purveyors of problematic information can mobilize online crowds by tapping into positive feelings like amusement, belonging, and optimism. Unfortunately, it is not clear how such participation and emotions can also help communities reduce the spread of problematic information. We address this gap by examining how a group of Japanese social media \u201cwatchers\u201d monitored and countered YamatoQ, a pro-QAnon Japanese conspiracy group. We analyze interviews with 12 watchers to make empirical contributions about the how, where, and why of their activities. Participants describe a playful approach to confronting problematic information, whereby they leverage a sense of improvisation, humor, and community to meet the challenges of their work. These results extend our knowledge of volunteer efforts to address problematic information, and expand the range of perspectives represented in the literature regarding the participatory and emotional aspects of problematic information.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/14614448241302311","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,3]],"date-time":"2024-12-03T00:26:17Z","timestamp":1733185577000},"page":"720-738","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["On the fly: How Japanese social media \u201cwatchers\u201d improvise to counter problematic information"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"28","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0966-5386","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kayo","family":"Mimizuka","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"The University of Texas at Austin, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Andr\u00e9 K","family":"Rodarte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The University of Texas at Austin, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ahmer","family":"Arif","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The University of Texas at Austin, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_4_2_1","unstructured":"Alt M (2021) Why QAnon flopped in Japan. The New York Times 26 March. Available at: https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/03\/26\/opinion\/qanon-japan-janon.html (accessed 7 November 2022)"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13104-021-05547-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3274289"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/028072701403200109"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_6_1","first-page":"92","article-title":"Semi-structured interviewing in social movement research","volume":"16","author":"Blee KM","year":"2002","unstructured":"Blee KM, Taylor V (2002) Semi-structured interviewing in social movement research. Methods of Social Movement Research 16: 92\u2013117.","journal-title":"Methods of Social Movement Research"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_7_1","unstructured":"Borak M (2022) The hunt for Wikipedia\u2019s disinformation moles. Available at: https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/wikipedia-state-sponsored-disinformation\/ (accessed 27 October 2023)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/21670811.2023.2206038"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_9_1","volume-title":"Constructing Grounded Theory","author":"Charmaz K","year":"2006","unstructured":"Charmaz K (2006) Constructing Grounded Theory. London: SAGE."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_10_1","unstructured":"Cox J Maiberg E (2023) \u201cVerified\u201d OSINT accounts are destroying the Israel-Palestine information ecosystem. Available at: https:\/\/www.404media.co\/twitter-verified-osint-accounts-are-destroying-the-israel-palestine-information-ecosystem\/ (accessed 6 February 2024)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_11_1","volume-title":"Digital Witness: Using Open Source Information for Human Rights Investigation, Documentation, and Accountability","author":"Dubberley S","year":"2020","unstructured":"Dubberley S, Koenig A, Murray D (2020) Digital Witness: Using Open Source Information for Human Rights Investigation, Documentation, and Accountability. Oxford: Oxford University Press."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_12_1","unstructured":"Fujiwara G (2022) Han wakuchin \u201cYamatoQ-kai\u201d ni ita gonin no k\u014dhan wakuchin no kowasa ukibori ni [Trials of five members of YamatoQ the anti-vaccine group reveals the danger of conspiracy theories]. Available at: https:\/\/www.asahi.com\/articles\/ASQCK6SNTQCKUHBI02M.html (accessed 1 March 2024)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/20563051221094773"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/1461670X.2017.1316681"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_15_1","volume-title":"We Are Bellingcat: Global Crime, Online Sleuths, and the Bold Future of News","author":"Higgins E","year":"2021","unstructured":"Higgins E (2021) We Are Bellingcat: Global Crime, Online Sleuths, and the Bold Future of News. London: Bloomsbury Publishing."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_16_1","unstructured":"IFCN (n.d.) IFCN code of principles. Available at: https:\/\/www.ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org\/ (accessed 26 October 2023)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jack C (2017) Lexicon of lies: terms for problematic information. Available at: https:\/\/datasociety.net\/library\/lexicon-of-lies\/ (accessed 5 March 2023).","DOI":"10.69985\/KMPZ3134"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1207\/S15327825MCS0404_4"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/21670811.2021.1972020"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_20_1","unstructured":"Kyodo (2022) Leader of QAnon\u2019s Japan arm held for obstructing COVID-19 vaccinations. Available at: https:\/\/www.japantimes.co.jp\/news\/2022\/04\/20\/national\/crime-legal\/qanon-japan-arrest\/ (accessed 27 October 2023)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.37016\/mr-2020-105"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/10584609.2019.1661889"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3102\/00346543047004651"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/20563051211021378"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/14614448221090201"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_26_1","volume-title":"Digital News Report 2023","author":"Newman N","year":"2023","unstructured":"Newman N, Fletcher R, Eddy K, et al (2023) Digital News Report 2023. Oxford: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_27_1","first-page":"65","article-title":"Ushahidi, or \u201ctestimony\u201d: Web 2.0 tools for crowdsourcing crisis information","volume":"59","author":"Okolloh O","year":"2009","unstructured":"Okolloh O (2009) Ushahidi, or \u201ctestimony\u201d: Web 2.0 tools for crowdsourcing crisis information. Participatory Learning and Action 59: 65\u201370.","journal-title":"Participatory Learning and Action"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_28_1","unstructured":"Ong JC Caba\u00f1es JVA (2018) Architects of networked disinformation: behind the scenes of troll accounts and fake news production in the Philippines 74. Available at: https:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/20.500.14394\/8445"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444817706877"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fdata.2021.718368"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Phillips W (2018) The Oxygen of Amplification: Better Practices for Reporting on Extremists Antagonists and Manipulators. New York: Data & Society Research Institute. Available at: https:\/\/datasociety.net\/output\/oxygen-of-amplification\/","DOI":"10.69985\/WGTI7516"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10676-022-09663-w"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/joc\/jqac030"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_34_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/1468-5973.12484"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_35_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3233\/EFI-2004-22201"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1978942.1979102"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_37_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3359229"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_38_1","unstructured":"Starbird K Maddock J Orand M et al (2014) Rumors false flags and digital vigilantes: misinformation on Twitter after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. In: iConference proceedings 2014. Available at: https:\/\/faculty.washington.edu\/kstarbi\/Starbird_iConference2014-final.pdf"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_39_1","unstructured":"The Asahi Shimbun (2022) Members tied to QAnon arrested over break-in at vaccine center. Available at: https:\/\/www.asahi.com\/ajw\/articles\/14592759 (accessed 4 May 2022)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_40_1","unstructured":"The Yomiuri Shimbun (2022) Police wary of anti-vaccination group Yamato Q. Available at: https:\/\/japannews.yomiuri.co.jp\/society\/general-news\/20220511-27224\/ (accessed 27 October 2023)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_41_1","first-page":"271","article-title":"Heito sup\u012bchi ni dou tachimukau no ka: Zaitokukai kara kangaeru mirai ky\u014dsei","author":"Wakisaka N","year":"2014","unstructured":"Wakisaka N (2014) Heito sup\u012bchi ni dou tachimukau no ka: Zaitokukai kara kangaeru mirai ky\u014dsei [How do we confront hate speech? Discussing symbiotic future from the case of Zaitokukai]. Mirai Kyosei: Journal of Multicultural Innovation 1: 271\u2013287.","journal-title":"Mirai Kyosei: Journal of Multicultural Innovation"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_42_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijdrr.2015.07.010"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_43_1","unstructured":"Wikimedia Foundation (2021) The case of Croatian Wikipedia: encyclopedia of knowledge or encyclopedia for the nation? Available at: https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Croatian_WP_Disinformation_Assessment_-_Final_Report_EN.pdf (accessed 27 October 2023)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_44_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wilner T Mimizuka K Bhimdiwala A et al (2023) It\u2019s about time: attending to temporality in misinformation interventions. In: Proceedings of the 2023 CHI conference on human factors in computing systems Hamburg 19 April pp. 1\u201319. ACM. Available at: https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/3544548.3581068 (accessed 14 March 2024).","DOI":"10.1145\/3544548.3581068"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_45_1","unstructured":"Wilson T Starbird K (2020) Cross-platform disinformation campaigns: lessons learned and next steps. Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review 1. Available at: https:\/\/doaj.org\/article\/0b0beba2559a4c55b88a3e6397a16fbf"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_46_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0038869"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_47_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.emospa.2020.100757"}],"container-title":["New Media &amp; Society"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/14614448241302311","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/14614448241302311","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/14614448241302311","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/14614448241302311","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,2]],"date-time":"2026-05-02T04:03:01Z","timestamp":1777694581000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/14614448241302311"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,2]]},"references-count":46,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/14614448241302311"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/14614448241302311","relation":{},"ISSN":["1461-4448","1461-7315"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1461-4448","type":"print"},{"value":"1461-7315","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,2]]}}}