Social Media as a Tool for Promoting Inclusion: An Analysis of the Facebook and Instagram Pages of Inclusive Spaces

Francisca Rocha Lourenço, Rita Oliveira, Oksana Tymoshchuk

2025

Abstract

This study explores the use of social media platforms, specifically Facebook and Instagram, by Inclusive Spaces (IS) to promote social and digital inclusion. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of engagement metrics and qualitative content analysis, the research examines how IS use different types and formats of content to engage audiences and disseminate inclusive practices. The results reveal that visual content, especially images, dominates posts on both platforms, with solidarity and record-orientated content generating the highest engagement averages per post. Instagram stands out as the platform with higher overall interaction rates compared to Facebook, despite a lower presence among ISs. The study identifies a strong emotional and relational appeal in solidarity content, highlighting its effectiveness in fostering public engagement. In addition, differences in platform functionality influence content strategies, with Instagram favouring collaborative and visually dynamic posts. The results emphasise the potential of social media as a tool for increasing the visibility of SI initiatives and strengthening community involvement in inclusive causes.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Lourenço F., Oliveira R. and Tymoshchuk O. (2025). Social Media as a Tool for Promoting Inclusion: An Analysis of the Facebook and Instagram Pages of Inclusive Spaces. In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health - Volume 1: ICT4AWE; ISBN 978-989-758-743-6, SciTePress, pages 141-152. DOI: 10.5220/0013440000003938

in Bibtex Style

@conference{ict4awe25,
author={Francisca Lourenço and Rita Oliveira and Oksana Tymoshchuk},
title={Social Media as a Tool for Promoting Inclusion: An Analysis of the Facebook and Instagram Pages of Inclusive Spaces},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health - Volume 1: ICT4AWE},
year={2025},
pages={141-152},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0013440000003938},
isbn={978-989-758-743-6},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health - Volume 1: ICT4AWE
TI - Social Media as a Tool for Promoting Inclusion: An Analysis of the Facebook and Instagram Pages of Inclusive Spaces
SN - 978-989-758-743-6
AU - Lourenço F.
AU - Oliveira R.
AU - Tymoshchuk O.
PY - 2025
SP - 141
EP - 152
DO - 10.5220/0013440000003938
PB - SciTePress