Setting the agenda in the Voice referendum

Andrea Carson

La Trobe University

Max Grömping

Griffith University

Simon Jackman

University of Sydney

Justin Phillips

Waikato University

7 December 2023

Social media and MSM data

  • Meltwater:

    • Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, Tumblr, blogs, forums, news sites, review sites, and comment sections.
    • sample text, not full text
    • capped number of Facebook accounts to monitor
    • selection of MSM sources
    • interaction metrics

  • Crowdtangle:

    • full search of Meta platforms
    • full text
    • interaction metrics

  • After de-duplication and scrubbing false positives, 3.8M records spanning Jan 1 2023 - October 14 2023.

10 highest daily counts, AEC mentions

date n Description
2023-08-25 3403 Dutton, ticks & crosses, AEC response
2023-08-24 2427 Dutton, ticks & crosses, AEC response
2023-07-18 1652 Referendum pamphlet published
2023-10-03 1271 Yes signage warning
2023-08-28 1181 Dutton, ticks & crosses, AEC response
2023-08-26 1151 Dutton, ticks & crosses, AEC response
2023-10-04 1096 Yes signage warning
2023-10-13 1075 voting procedures, mobile polling teams
2023-08-30 821 Dutton, ticks & crosses, AEC response
2023-07-17 810 Referendum pamphlet published