Social Media and Political Discussion: When Online Presence Silences Offline Conversation

• In Event: Social Media, Discussion, Deliberation, and Public Opinion

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between use of social media, attitudinal strength, perceived opinion agreement with social ties, and willingness to discuss a political issue in different online and offline contexts. Unlike the anonymous environment of internet forums in previous generations, social media are closely tied to the activities of everyday life. As such, use of social media is likely to affect everyday conversation about political issues in on- and offline contexts, including the home, workplace, social gatherings with friends, community meetings, and on social network sites. Based on a national probability survey, we find that the use of social network sites (i.e., Facebook and Twitter) has a direct, negative relationship on deliberation in many offline settings. Some uses of these platforms are associated with lower perceived opinion agreement with social ties and this further reduces the willingness of social media users to join political conversations in some offline settings.

Authors

• Keith N. Hampton, Rutgers U

• Inyoung Shin, Rutgers U

• Weixu Lu, Rutgers University