How lawmakers’ social media activity changed in the days after the U.S. Capitol riot
Social media activity by members of Congress changed in notable ways following the rioting at the Capitol by supporters of President Trump.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Social media activity by members of Congress changed in notable ways following the rioting at the Capitol by supporters of President Trump.
Voting members of the 116th Congress collectively produced more than 2.2 million tweets and Facebook posts in 2019 and 2020.
From 2016 through 2019, lawmaker mentions of Asian Americans on social media – either of the population at large or of smaller subgroups – followed a relatively predictable pattern.
These platforms have served as venues for political engagement and social activism for many years, especially for Black Americans.
Many experts say public online spaces will significantly improve by 2035 if reformers, big technology firms, governments and activists tackle the problems created by misinformation, disinformation and toxic discourse. Others expect continuing troubles as digital tools and forums are used to exploit people’s frailties, stoke their rage and drive them apart.
One-quarter of United States lawmakers mentioned the term on Facebook or Twitter during the 116th Congress.
Many legislators in four English-speaking countries directly addressed George Floyd’s killing and the subsequent protests on Twitter.
73% of Americans express little or no confidence in tech companies to prevent the misuse of their platforms to influence the 2020 election.
236 members (45%) of the 116th Congress have mentioned “Black lives matter” on Facebook or Twitter dating back as far as Jan. 1, 2015.
Although most national officials use the platform, their posts receive only a small number of likes and retweets.
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