Dating and Relationships under a Bluesky: An Educational Data Science Perspective on Communication on BlueSky

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:45 am - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Mixed Methods Frontiers: Leveraging AI in Multiple and Mixed Methods Research

Abstract

This study explores how users communicate about dating and relationships in online chats on BlueSky. Special attention is paid on the emergence of “new experts.” Using large language model (LLM)-based annotations, RoBERTa classification, and BERTopic modeling, we identify three archetypal user groups: Knowledge-based Authority, Commercial Positioning, and Experiential Discourse. Each group exhibits distinct communication styles, with varying levels of formalized expertise. While all engage in advice-giving, thematic emphases differ, ranging from personal wellness to promotional content and lived experience. We thereby contribute to the scholarly discussion about evolving romantic media ideologies and informal knowledge production in digital discourse, with implications for how expertise and advice are socially constructed in contemporary online environments.

Authors

• Martin Rehm, University of Southern Denmark

• Elisabeth Munth Andersen, University of Southern Denmark