“Why Not Give Them a Chance?”: Information Seeking and Perceptions of Social Media Network Credibility During the 2016 General Election

• In Event: ICA Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Paper Session: Political Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Relying on in-depth interviews (n =37) with politically motivated individuals, this study explores how young adults used social media to consume and evaluate political information during the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. Interviews for this this study were completed from March to May 2016, during the mid-to-late stages of the U.S. presidential primary, and were analyzed via the method of thematic analysis. Results of this study indicate that social media is a starting point for receiving political information, and that young adults are incredibly skeptical of media coverage from U.S. institutions and information shared by politicians and candidates online. Additional findings suggest that participants generally view the information they share online as credible, but are distrustful of the information shared by friends in their networks. Normative implications of these findings are discussed, as well as possible avenues for future quantitative and qualitative inquiry.

Authors

• Miles John Paul Sari

• Samuel Rhodes, Washington State U

• Kyle Lorenzano, Washington State U

• Colin Storm, Washington State U

• Porismita Borah, Washington State U