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The subtle nature of Facebook politics: Swedish social network site users and political participation

Gustafsson, Nils LU orcid (2012) In New Media & Society 14(7). p.1111-1127
Abstract
Sweden, with a high level of political participation and an avant-garde position regarding internet access, broadband and social media penetration in the population, is a critical case for studying social media in relation to political participation. Three types of users – members of political parties, members of interest organizations, and non-members – are interviewed in focus groups about their attitudes to political content in the social network site Facebook. The discussions show that although practices and attitudes vary, using social network sites alone does not drive previously inactive respondents to political participation. Respondents who are members of interest organizations view social network sites as valuable tools for... (More)
Sweden, with a high level of political participation and an avant-garde position regarding internet access, broadband and social media penetration in the population, is a critical case for studying social media in relation to political participation. Three types of users – members of political parties, members of interest organizations, and non-members – are interviewed in focus groups about their attitudes to political content in the social network site Facebook. The discussions show that although practices and attitudes vary, using social network sites alone does not drive previously inactive respondents to political participation. Respondents who are members of interest organizations view social network sites as valuable tools for participation, whereas respondents who are not refrain from sharing political views with their friends. They are exposed to political content and requests for participation, but prefer generally to remain passive. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Web 2.0, social network sites, social media, political participation, political mobilization
in
New Media & Society
volume
14
issue
7
pages
1111 - 1127
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • wos:000310023200003
  • scopus:84867668689
ISSN
1461-4448
DOI
10.1177/1461444812439551
project
Viral politik. Politisk mobilisering i sociala medier
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
85425a32-e9f9-43f0-bf5d-b13e3fe635ea (old id 2436529)
alternative location
http://nms.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/04/01/1461444812439551.abstract?papetoc
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:05:37
date last changed
2024-01-27 06:54:22
@article{85425a32-e9f9-43f0-bf5d-b13e3fe635ea,
  abstract     = {{Sweden, with a high level of political participation and an avant-garde position regarding internet access, broadband and social media penetration in the population, is a critical case for studying social media in relation to political participation. Three types of users – members of political parties, members of interest organizations, and non-members – are interviewed in focus groups about their attitudes to political content in the social network site Facebook. The discussions show that although practices and attitudes vary, using social network sites alone does not drive previously inactive respondents to political participation. Respondents who are members of interest organizations view social network sites as valuable tools for participation, whereas respondents who are not refrain from sharing political views with their friends. They are exposed to political content and requests for participation, but prefer generally to remain passive.}},
  author       = {{Gustafsson, Nils}},
  issn         = {{1461-4448}},
  keywords     = {{Web 2.0; social network sites; social media; political participation; political mobilization}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{1111--1127}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{New Media & Society}},
  title        = {{The subtle nature of Facebook politics: Swedish social network site users and political participation}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5229656/2436625.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1461444812439551}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}