Charting Congress on Social Media in the 2016 and 2020 Elections
The 2020 election featured dramatic increases in lawmaker posts and audience engagement, but less overlap in the sources shared by members of each party.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
The 2020 election featured dramatic increases in lawmaker posts and audience engagement, but less overlap in the sources shared by members of each party.
Social media activity by members of Congress changed in notable ways following the rioting at the Capitol by supporters of President Trump.
53% of U.S. adults who voted in the general election say they engaged in at least 1 of 6 political activities over the past six months.
73% of Americans express little or no confidence in tech companies to prevent the misuse of their platforms to influence the 2020 election.
White eligible voters were somewhat more likely to say they were contacted than Black, Hispanic or English-speaking Asian eligible voters.
A majority of voters said it is very or somewhat important to them to get messages from the presidential campaigns about important issues.
Some 44% of liberal Democrats say they have used social media in the past year to encourage others to take action on an issue that was important to them. A similar share (43%) have taken part in a group that shares their interest in a cause.
Exposure to a range of new ideas and viewpoints that many social media users encounter can occasionally cause people to change their minds about political issues or candidates.
Pew Research Center President Michael Dimock examines the changes – some profound, some subtle – that the U.S. experienced during Barack Obama’s presidency.
Nearly nine-in-ten voters who followed the 2016 returns (88%) did so on TV, while 48% used online platforms; 21% used social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.
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