"We're Inherently Uncool": Policing and the use of Humor on Twitter and Facebook

• In Event: Social Media, Drones, and Policing: Perceptions and Possibilities

Abstract

Social media has grown rapidly over the past decade and has become a communication platform used by a majority of police departments. While there is great variability in the amount, type, and style of content between departments, semi-structured interviews with social media-involved police employees indicate a number of similar goals motivating the use of social media. Among these include projecting a positive image of the department, specifically letting the community see the softer side of policing. A content analysis of 12 months of Twitter and Facebook posts and the accompanying interviews indicate that for some departments, humor plays a crucial role in projecting an approachable image. Humor is discussed in terms of its relationship to the articulated goals of social media use, perceived benefits, and issues that its use has created.

Author

• Lauren Mayes, Vancouver Island University