We are pleased to share our recent publication in the Journal of Data & Policy (by Cambridge University Press, 2025), titled “Examining the Role of Semiotics in Social Media-driven Information Campaigns.” The study explores how social, cultural, and political symbols shape engagement and information diffusion on platforms such as Instagram, using Taiwan’s 2024 election as a case study. Combining large language models with semiotic and diffusion analysis, we show that symbol-rich content consistently drives higher engagement, trust, and faster spread than non-symbolic posts, even when audience size is controlled. Overall, the findings highlight symbolic richness as a key factor in online influence and offer practical guidance for designing more effective, culturally resonant communication strategies to help counter misinformation.
In today’s fast-scrolling digital world, visuals aren’t just decoration; they are driving how people understand and trust information. A new study examining Instagram activity during Taiwan’s 2024 election reveals that social, cultural, and political (SCP) symbols play a powerful role in shaping online engagement and combating misinformation.
Analyzing thousands of posts using advanced AI models, researchers found that content rich in symbolic meaning consistently outperformed others, even when posted by accounts with similar follower counts. While political influencers often had larger audiences, it was culturally grounded symbols that truly resonated, generating the highest levels of engagement, trust, and perceived fairness among users.
Perhaps most striking, symbol-rich posts did not just attract attention; they spread faster and further across networks. The findings suggest that symbolic storytelling can outweigh sheer audience size in terms of influence. By blending AI analysis with cultural insight and diffusion modeling, this research offers a fresh roadmap for communicators if you want your message to stick, spread, and make it meaningful, not just visible.
This study underscores Professor Agarwal’s central insight that in contemporary digital environments, meaning and symbolism often matter more than reach or audience size. The findings demonstrate that social, cultural, and political symbols significantly amplify engagement, trust, and diffusion on social media platforms, suggesting that users respond more strongly to culturally resonant narratives than to sheer popularity. By integrating AI-driven analysis with semiotic and diffusion modeling, the research highlights how symbolic richness can shape perceptions and information spread, offering important implications for designing more effective, credible, and culturally grounded communication strategies in the fight against adversarial information campaigns.