Protests in Lebanon highlight ubiquity of WhatsApp, dissatisfaction with government
Amid unrest, here is a closer look at Lebanon’s widespread use of WhatsApp, as well as unhappiness with the political and economic situation.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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A small group of prolific users account for a majority of political tweets sent by U.S. adults
These users make up just 6% of all U.S. adults with public accounts, but they account for 73% of tweets from adults that mention politics.
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46% of U.S. social media users say they are ‘worn out’ by political posts and discussions
Well before the 2020 election, many U.S. social media users are already exhausted by how many political posts they see on these platforms.
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Liberal Democrats more likely than other groups to be politically active on social media
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.
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Many Around the World Are Disengaged From Politics
Aside from voting, relatively few people take part in other forms of political and civic participation. But a 14-country survey finds that some could be motivated to participate on issues like health care, poverty and education.
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Partisans Remain Sharply Divided in Their Attitudes About the News Media
While most Americans expect news will be accurate, most also say news organizations cover up mistakes, take sides
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14% of Americans have changed their mind about an issue because of something they saw on social media
A small share of the public – 14% – say they have changed their views about a political or social issue in the past year because of something they saw on social media.
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Many tweeted about immigration news in Trump’s first month in office, but frequent users drove traffic
About eight-in-ten Twitter users who tweeted about immigration with a link in the first month of the Trump presidency shared at least one tweet that had a link to a news site.
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Americans Favor Protecting Information Freedoms Over Government Steps to Restrict False News Online
U.S. adults are mostly against government action that could limit people’s ability to access and publish information online. There is more support for steps by technology companies.
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There’s a large gender gap in congressional Facebook posts about sexual misconduct
About seven-in-ten women in Congress mentioned sexual misconduct in their official Facebook posts between Oct. 1 and Dec. 30, 2017, compared with 37% of men in Congress.
