A166. Wang, L. H.
& Rice, R. E. (2024). Understanding the Internet Water Army:
Domain,
characteristics, purposes, messages and affordances, and consequences. Asian
Communication Research, 21(2),1-20. https://acr.comm.or.kr/xml/41108/41108.pdf
(open access)
The
Internet and social media bring many
benefits to individuals, groups, organizations, and society. However
some users,
groups, agents, businesses, institutions, and governments also
manipulate and
deceive the online environment, fostering negative consequences. This
paper
explicates one specific manifestation of this phenomenon: the Internet
Water
Army, a growing Internet/social media phenomenon, especially in China.
There
has been no robust framework for referring to the Internet Water Army,
nor an
integrated social science review of this type of Internet/social media
user,
thus creating gaps and contradictions in discussions and research about
it. Within
a general domain of organized multiple postings, the explanation
identifies four
central dimensions of the Internet Water Army – characteristics,
purposes,
messages and affordances, and consequences – with a wide variety of
examples.