{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,4]],"date-time":"2026-07-04T23:08:19Z","timestamp":1783206499751,"version":"3.54.6"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2015,10,20]],"date-time":"2015-10-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1445299200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Big Data &amp; Society"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2015,12,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>New methods to analyse social media data provide a powerful way to know publics and capture what they say and do. At the same time, access to these methods is uneven, with corporations and governments tending to have best access to relevant data and analytics tools. Critics raise a number of concerns about the implications dominant uses of data mining and analytics may have for the public: they result in less privacy, more surveillance and social discrimination, and they provide new ways of controlling how publics come to be represented and so understood. In this paper, we consider if a different relationship between the public and data mining might be established, one in which publics might be said to have greater agency and reflexivity vis-\u00e0-vis data power. Drawing on growing calls for alternative data regimes and practices, we argue that to enable this different relationship, data mining and analytics need to be democratised in three ways: they should be subject to greater public supervision and regulation, available and accessible to all, and used to create not simply known but reflexive, active and knowing publics. We therefore imagine conditions in which data mining is not just used as a way to know publics, but can become a means for publics to know themselves.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/2053951715611145","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2015,10,21]],"date-time":"2015-10-21T20:44:07Z","timestamp":1445460247000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":98,"title":["Known or knowing publics? Social media data mining and the question of public agency"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"2","author":[{"given":"Helen","family":"Kennedy","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giles","family":"Moss","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Media and Communication, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2015,10,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203075319"},{"key":"bibr2-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/09502386.2011.600551"},{"key":"bibr3-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.24908\/ss.v12i2.5242"},{"key":"bibr4-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Anonyzious (2012) 10 largest databases of the world. In: realitypod.com. Available at: http:\/\/realitypod.com\/2012\/03\/10-largest-databases-of-the-world\/ (accessed 16 October 2014)."},{"key":"bibr5-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Anstead N and O'Loughlin B (2012) Semantic polling: The ethics of online public opinion. Available at: http:\/\/eprints.lse.ac.uk\/46944\/1\/LSEMPPBrief5.pdf (accessed 27 April 2013)."},{"key":"bibr6-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/jcc4.12102"},{"key":"bibr7-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/2053951715594634"},{"key":"bibr8-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/2043820613514323"},{"key":"bibr9-2053951715611145","volume-title":"Culture and Democracy: Media, Space and Representation","author":"Barnett C","year":"2003"},{"key":"bibr10-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4135\/9781848607880.n25"},{"key":"bibr11-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Barocas S, Hood S and Ziewitz M (2013) Governing algorithms: A provocation piece. Paper prepared for the \u201cGoverning Algorithms\u201d conference, 16\u201317 May 2013, New York University. Available at: http:\/\/governingalgorithms.org\/resources\/provocation-piece\/ (accessed 4 June 2013).","DOI":"10.2139\/ssrn.2245322"},{"key":"bibr12-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Barocas S and Selbst A (2014) Big Data's disparate impact. Social Science Research Network, SSRN. Available at: http:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2477899 (accessed 2 October 2014)."},{"key":"bibr13-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Bates J (2013) Information policy and the crises of neoliberalism: The case of open government data in the UK. In:\n                      Proceedings of the IAMCR 2013 conference\n                      , Dublin, Ireland, 25\u201329 June. Available at: http:\/\/eprints.whiterose.ac.uk\/77655\/7\/WRR0_77655.pdf (accessed 29 September 2014)."},{"key":"bibr14-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0263276413476542"},{"key":"bibr15-2053951715611145","author":"Blanke T","journal-title":"Big Data and Society"},{"key":"bibr16-2053951715611145","volume-title":"Networked Self: Identity, Community and Culture on Social Network Sites","author":"Boyd D","year":"2010"},{"key":"bibr17-2053951715611145","volume-title":"It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens","author":"Boyd D","year":"2014"},{"key":"bibr18-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/1369118X.2012.678878"},{"key":"bibr19-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/1467-954X.12158"},{"key":"bibr20-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/2053951714539277"},{"key":"bibr21-2053951715611145","first-page":"1710","volume":"8","author":"Couldry N","year":"2014","journal-title":"International Journal of Communication"},{"key":"bibr22-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Diakopoulos N (2014) Algorithmic accountability reporting: On the investigation of black boxes. Tow Center for Digital Journalism. Available at: http:\/\/www.nickdiakopoulos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Algorithmic-Accountability-Reporting_final.pdf (accessed 6 October 2015)."},{"key":"bibr23-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1093\/oso\/9780195146158.001.0001","volume-title":"Transforming Technology: A Critical Theory Re-visited","author":"Feenberg A","year":"2002"},{"key":"bibr24-2053951715611145","volume-title":"Misunderstanding the Internet","author":"Freedman D","year":"2012"},{"key":"bibr25-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4135\/9781446270066"},{"key":"bibr26-2053951715611145","volume-title":"The Constitution of Society: Outline of the Theory of Structuration","author":"Giddens A","year":"1984"},{"key":"bibr127-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Gilbert J (2012) Moving on from market society: culture (and cultural studies) in a post-democratic age.\n                      Open Democracy\n                      . Available at: http:\/\/www.opendemocracy.net\/ourkingdom\/jeremy-gilbert\/moving-on-from-market-society-culture-and-cultural-studies-in-post-democra (accessed 26 July 2012)."},{"key":"bibr27-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Gillespie T (2012) Can an algorithm be wrong? In: Limn 2. Available at: http:\/\/limn.it\/can-an-algorithm-be-wrong\/ (accessed 4 August 2014)."},{"key":"bibr28-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7551\/mitpress\/9042.003.0013"},{"key":"bibr29-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Gurstein MB (2011) Open data: Empowering the empowered or effective data use for everyone?\n                      First Monday\n                      16: 2\u20137. Available at: http:\/\/journals.uic.edu\/ojs\/index.php\/fm\/article\/view\/3316\/2764 (accessed 20 January 2015)."},{"key":"bibr30-2053951715611145","volume-title":"Between Facts and Norms: Contributions to a Discourse Theory of Law and Democracy","author":"Habermas J","year":"1997"},{"issue":"3","key":"bibr31-2053951715611145","volume":"10","author":"Hearn A","year":"2010","journal-title":"Ephemera: Theory & Politics in Organisation"},{"key":"bibr32-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Hintz (2014) Policy hacking: hackathons and policy code, Communication for Empowerment: citizens, markets, innovations. In:\n                      Proceedings of the ECREA Conference\n                      , Lisbon, Portugal, 14 November."},{"key":"bibr33-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/2053951714545135"},{"key":"bibr34-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Johnson B (2010) Privacy no longer a social norm, says Facebook founder.\n                      The Guardian\n                      . Available at: http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2010\/jan\/11\/facebook-privacy (accessed 7 May 2011)."},{"key":"bibr35-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/08838151.2014.935851"},{"key":"bibr36-2053951715611145","unstructured":"MacKinnon R (2014) Companies need to work harder to keep the internet open. In: ft.com. Available at: http:\/\/www.ft.com\/cms\/s\/0\/e9883160-3a9f-11e4-bd08-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3lQSmXzLZ (accessed 15 September 2014)."},{"key":"bibr37-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Manovich L (2011) Trending: The promises and the challenges of big social data. Available at: http:\/\/www.manovich.net\/DOCS\/Manovich_trending_paper.pdf (Also in Gold MK (ed.)\n                      Debates in the Digital Humanities\n                      ) (accessed 9 October 2013).","DOI":"10.5749\/minnesota\/9780816677948.003.0047"},{"key":"bibr38-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-954X.2012.02121.x"},{"key":"bibr39-2053951715611145","volume-title":"Media Accountability and Freedom of Publication","author":"McQuail D","year":"2003"},{"key":"bibr40-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-4446.1999.00367.x"},{"key":"bibr41-2053951715611145","volume-title":"The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding from You","author":"Pariser E","year":"2011"},{"key":"bibr42-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4159\/harvard.9780674736061"},{"key":"bibr43-2053951715611145","volume-title":"Public Opinion and the Communication of Consent","author":"Peters JD","year":"1995"},{"key":"bibr44-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Rae A (2014) Open data visualization: The dawn of understanding? In: StatsLife Blog, Royal Statistical Society. Available at: http:\/\/www.statslife.org.uk\/opinion\/1815-open-data-visualisation-the-dawn-of-understanding (accessed 29 September 2014)."},{"key":"bibr45-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5210\/fm.v15i1.2775"},{"key":"bibr46-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Sandvig C, Hamilton K, Karahalio K, et\u00a0al. (2014) Auditing algorithms: Research methods for detecting discrimination on internet platforms. Available at: http:\/\/www-personal.umich.edu\/\u223ccsandvig\/research\/Auditing%20Algorithms%20-%20Sandvig%20-%20ICA%202014%20Data%20and%20Discrimination%20Preconference.pdf (accessed 30 May 2014)."},{"key":"bibr47-2053951715611145","volume-title":"Media and Morality: On the Rise of the Mediapolis","author":"Silverstone R","year":"2007"},{"key":"bibr48-2053951715611145","volume-title":"Social Media as Surveillance: Rethinking Visibility in a Converging World","author":"Trottier D","year":"2012"},{"key":"bibr49-2053951715611145","volume-title":"The Daily You: How the New Advertising Industry is Defining Your Identity and Your Worth","author":"Turow J","year":"2012"},{"key":"bibr50-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.17645\/mac.v1i1.70"},{"key":"bibr51-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Van Zoonen L (2014) Data delirium.\n                      Sociologie Magazine\n                      22(3): 10.","DOI":"10.5117\/SOC2014.1.REDA"},{"key":"bibr52-2053951715611145","volume-title":"The Data Journalism Handbook Online","author":"Vis F","year":"2012"},{"key":"bibr53-2053951715611145","unstructured":"Williamson B (2014) The death of the theorist and the emergence of data and algorithms in digital social research. Impact of Social Sciences. In: LSE Blog. Available at: http:\/\/blogs.lse.ac.uk\/impactofsocialsciences\/2014\/02\/10\/the-death-of-the-theorist-in-digital-social-research\/ (accessed 11 February 2014)."},{"key":"bibr55-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/1369118X.2013.777757"},{"key":"bibr54-2053951715611145","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/0198297556.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr56-2053951715611145","first-page":"13","volume":"56","author":"Zarsky TZ","year":"2004","journal-title":"Maine Law Review"}],"container-title":["Big Data &amp; Society"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/2053951715611145","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/2053951715611145","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/2053951715611145","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T13:01:55Z","timestamp":1777381315000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/2053951715611145"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2015,10,20]]},"references-count":57,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2015,12,1]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/2053951715611145"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/2053951715611145","relation":{},"ISSN":["2053-9517","2053-9517"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2053-9517","type":"print"},{"value":"2053-9517","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2015,10,20]]},"article-number":"2053951715611145"}}