Are Politicians Politically Engaged? Examining the Political Engagement 2.0 of Electoral Candidates Through Facebook

• In Event: Political Engagement and Agenda Setting in a New Media Ecosystem

Abstract

Electoral campaigns suppose an exceptional moment, due to the increase that occurs in debates on the different programmatic and ideological proposals. They represent a scenario in which candidates’ implement strategies to obtain greater electoral benefits, through the relationship they establish with citizens. The media have been a traditional connection mechanism for the transmission of information. In addition to traditional media, social media have opened up other methods of expression for candidates, allowing a flow of direct, rapid, and updated information to citizens. Among these methods, social networks are a new field in which the electoral battle is set, bringing ease and proximity to the relationship between the candidate and citizens. However, it is important to note how electoral candidates use these social networks: as mere recipients of their proposals and reflections, or rather as a scenario where citizen participation is promoted through the exchange of ideas, something which would indicate a political compromise 2.0 of candidates with users. In order to answer this question, a content analysis of 556 Facebook posts generated by the two candidates for governor of Baja California, Mexico, during the election campaign of 2013 was carried out. A Scale of candidates’ Political Engagement 2.0 was created, including measures of the "quality of information", "directionality of communication" and "contribution to knowledge" made by candidates in their Facebook posts during the electoral campaign. Findings show how the engagement 2.0 of candidates increased the participation of users in the debate by stimulating the political debate framed on issues or political proposals. The implications of the results with respect to the understanding of developments in electoral campaigns in the digital environment are discussed

Author

• Carlos Muniz, U Autónoma de Nuevo León