The Impact of Personal Experience on the Thematisation of Issues Related to Data Protection
(2015) SKPM08 20151Department of Strategic Communication
- Abstract
- This study explores the plausibility of the thesis that the thematisation of issues re-lated to data protection is affected by the degree to which an issue can be experi-enced personally.
In drawing a line from issues management theory to agenda-setting and the theory of news value, this study demonstrates that knowledge about thematisation struc-tures is central to issues management and that previous research has not systemati-cally considered this factor. Taking a qualitative-exploratory approach, it examines the cases of Google Street View, Facebook’s “Tag Suggest” and personalised ads on Amazon and on Facebook. Based on a reconstruction of these cases from me-dia coverage and interviews with experts from different areas, this study... (More) - This study explores the plausibility of the thesis that the thematisation of issues re-lated to data protection is affected by the degree to which an issue can be experi-enced personally.
In drawing a line from issues management theory to agenda-setting and the theory of news value, this study demonstrates that knowledge about thematisation struc-tures is central to issues management and that previous research has not systemati-cally considered this factor. Taking a qualitative-exploratory approach, it examines the cases of Google Street View, Facebook’s “Tag Suggest” and personalised ads on Amazon and on Facebook. Based on a reconstruction of these cases from me-dia coverage and interviews with experts from different areas, this study explores the impact of personal experience on issue thematisation in each of these cases. As this discussion is based on the assumption that thematisation structures are a mani-festation of power relations between journalism and corporate actors, this study places itself in the tradition of phronetic social science as expounded by Bent Flyvbjerg. It therefore not only has implications for issues management practice, but also questions journalisms ability to perform its basic function with regard to society’s self-observation.
The results suggest that personal experience does indeed affect the thematisation of issues related to data protection. Results also indicate that journalism is failing with regard to fulfilling its societal function. Lastly, this study draws attention to the communication practitioners’ responsibilities in dealing with this situation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/5468748
- author
- Schubert, Clara LU
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- Free Rein to Issues Management or Journalism’s Confession of Failure?
- course
- SKPM08 20151
- year
- 2015
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Phronetic Social Science, News Value, Thematisation, Data Protection, Personal Experience, Issues Management
- language
- English
- id
- 5468748
- date added to LUP
- 2015-10-14 10:31:40
- date last changed
- 2015-10-14 10:31:40
@misc{5468748,
abstract = {{This study explores the plausibility of the thesis that the thematisation of issues re-lated to data protection is affected by the degree to which an issue can be experi-enced personally.
In drawing a line from issues management theory to agenda-setting and the theory of news value, this study demonstrates that knowledge about thematisation struc-tures is central to issues management and that previous research has not systemati-cally considered this factor. Taking a qualitative-exploratory approach, it examines the cases of Google Street View, Facebook’s “Tag Suggest” and personalised ads on Amazon and on Facebook. Based on a reconstruction of these cases from me-dia coverage and interviews with experts from different areas, this study explores the impact of personal experience on issue thematisation in each of these cases. As this discussion is based on the assumption that thematisation structures are a mani-festation of power relations between journalism and corporate actors, this study places itself in the tradition of phronetic social science as expounded by Bent Flyvbjerg. It therefore not only has implications for issues management practice, but also questions journalisms ability to perform its basic function with regard to society’s self-observation.
The results suggest that personal experience does indeed affect the thematisation of issues related to data protection. Results also indicate that journalism is failing with regard to fulfilling its societal function. Lastly, this study draws attention to the communication practitioners’ responsibilities in dealing with this situation.}},
author = {{Schubert, Clara}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{The Impact of Personal Experience on the Thematisation of Issues Related to Data Protection}},
year = {{2015}},
}