Presenter(s): Rachel Johnston
Faculty Mentor(s): Ryan Light & CJ Pascoe
Poster 117
Session: Social Sciences & Humanities
The rapidly changing landscape of political communication is exemplified by Twitter’s extraordinary growth in popularity. The platform’s influence on elections and public opinion is undeniable. The social network has even changed the way news is distributed. Information that used to rely on newspapers, radio, and television is now accessible to millions of Twitter users in 280 characters and a matter of seconds. Some scholars have defined this as the “personalization of politics.” Studies have shown that Twitter increases political polarization by giving users the opportunity to choose information that aligns with their own opinions and ignore everything else. How does using Twitter help young people construct their own political identities? This research examines how the use of Twitter as a political communication platform influences young people’s understandings of and attitudes towards political events. Interviews were conducted with over twenty-five regular Twitter users to determine how young people use the medium to interact with news, express political opinions, and participate in online community networks. Experiences with Twitter varied significantly for conservatives and liberals. Young people use the platform for news because it is quick, accessible, and connects them to social networks. The majority of participants used traditional media sources to supplement Twitter news. Principal uses of the social network platform include involvement in larger conversations about political events, building online communities, and staying up to date with live happenings. This research is essential to understanding the drastically changing landscape of political communication, which is a landmark of government institutions and democracy itself. The way in which people consume and understand news has a significant effect on public opinion, and ultimately representation and public policy. Social media outlets such as Twitter have transformed the ways in which young people form political opinions and engage with news, politics, and government. Current research on this topic is limited to quantitative methods. Thus, the qualitative structure of this project fills a gap, facilitating crucial insight into individual opinions and behaviors.