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Social Sciences › Social Sciences › Demography
Understanding the Demographics of Twitter Users
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Paper Summary
Conflicts of Interest
Identified Weaknesses
Rating Explanation
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Paper Summary
Paperzilla title
Tweeting from the Big City: Early Twitter Users Skewed Towards Populous Counties and Men
This paper finds that early Twitter users in the U.S. (2006-2009) were disproportionately located in populous counties and overrepresented men. It also explores geographic trends in inferred race/ethnicity, finding some regional variations in representation on the platform compared to census data.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
None identified
Identified Weaknesses
Location Inference Limitations
The study acknowledges limitations in its location inference methodology. Google Maps may interpret locations coarser than a U.S. county, and users may provide false or outdated information. Additionally, using per-user location instead of per-tweet location can misrepresent users who move.
Gender and Race/Ethnicity Inference
Inferring gender and race/ethnicity based on names is unreliable. Users may misrepresent their names or choose not to reveal them, and name lists may not cover all demographics equally.
Self-Reported Data Bias
The study's reliance on self-reported data introduces potential biases. Users may not accurately represent themselves or may choose not to disclose certain information.
Time Period Limitation
The study focuses on a specific time period (2006-2009), which may not reflect current demographics of Twitter users.
Rating Explanation
This paper presents a descriptive analysis of early Twitter users' demographics using a large dataset. While the methodology is reasonable given the available data, it relies heavily on inferences and self-reported information, which limits the strength of the conclusions. The findings are interesting but not groundbreaking, and the limitations are adequately addressed.
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File Information
Original Title:
Understanding the Demographics of Twitter Users
File Name:
14017.pdf
[download]
File Size:
1.85 MB
Uploaded:
July 14, 2025 at 05:12 PM
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