Influencing social media users’ information-sharing behaviour during hostage situations : A research based on Aristotle’s Rhetoric

This thesis explores the influence of police communication on social media users’ information-sharing behavior during hostage situations. It investigates whether applying Aristotle’s rhetorical principles, ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic) can reduce the likelihood of citizens resharing sensitive personal information. Different police messages designed to influence this resharing behaviour and shown to participants in a simulated social media platform. Results indicate that messages appealing to logos were most effective in discouraging information sharing, whereas ethos and pathos had limited impact. The findings highlight the importance of well-structured crisis communication strategies to mitigate the risks posed by social media during emergencies. The study contributes to the growing research on social media use in crisis management and offers practical recommendations for law enforcement agencies. Future research should explore the impact of different audience characteristics and real-world social media dynamics on the effectiveness of rhetorical strategies.