Psst, what's the gossip?

Issue title: Getting Our Messages Across

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Chiu, Robert

Affiliations: Product Development and Publishing Team, Statistics New Zealand P O Box 2922, Wellington, New Zealand. Tel.: +64 4 931 4600; Fax: +64 4 931 4049; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: The emergence of social media has changed the way information is sent and received. However, this new dissemination tool has not altered the fundamental characteristics of an engaging story. By incorporating the basic qualities of gossip into their stories, statistical organisations can use the resulting framework to better engage young people – so that they become aware and active users of official statistics.

Keywords: Social media, viral, network effect, Facebook, Twitter

DOI: 10.3233/SJI-130779

Journal: Statistical Journal of the IAOS, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 167-171, 2013