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Social media platforms for politics : A comparison of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, and WhatsApp

Boulianne, Shelley ; Hoffman, Christian and Bossetta, Michael LU (2024) In New Media & Society p.1-32
Abstract
Citizens have increasingly diversified their use of social media platforms, raising questions about which platforms are adopted and for what purposes. We use survey data from four countries (Canada, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom) gathered in 2019 and 2021 (n = 12,302) about Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Snapchat, and WhatsApp. Political ideology predicts the adoption and political uses of all platforms, but Reddit, Snapchat, and WhatsApp are distinctive. Right-wing users are more likely to report exposure to and posting of political content on these platforms; this pattern is consistent across all four countries. We relate these findings to the distinct network features compared to other platforms. Our... (More)
Citizens have increasingly diversified their use of social media platforms, raising questions about which platforms are adopted and for what purposes. We use survey data from four countries (Canada, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom) gathered in 2019 and 2021 (n = 12,302) about Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Snapchat, and WhatsApp. Political ideology predicts the adoption and political uses of all platforms, but Reddit, Snapchat, and WhatsApp are distinctive. Right-wing users are more likely to report exposure to and posting of political content on these platforms; this pattern is consistent across all four countries. We relate these findings to the distinct network features compared to other platforms. Our large sample size allows us to document a funnel process where large numbers adopt a platform, fewer see political content, and even fewer post. In this funnel process, ideological differences become larger. The findings have implications for the formation of homogeneous communities. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Social Media, Politics, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, Snapchat, Political Communication
in
New Media & Society
pages
32 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85199972338
ISSN
1461-4448
DOI
10.1177/14614448241262415
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d8097de0-4846-42de-a97e-abcd0b1342f8
date added to LUP
2024-07-29 20:47:14
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:41:32
@article{d8097de0-4846-42de-a97e-abcd0b1342f8,
  abstract     = {{Citizens have increasingly diversified their use of social media platforms, raising questions about which platforms are adopted and for what purposes. We use survey data from four countries (Canada, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom) gathered in 2019 and 2021 (n = 12,302) about Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Snapchat, and WhatsApp. Political ideology predicts the adoption and political uses of all platforms, but Reddit, Snapchat, and WhatsApp are distinctive. Right-wing users are more likely to report exposure to and posting of political content on these platforms; this pattern is consistent across all four countries. We relate these findings to the distinct network features compared to other platforms. Our large sample size allows us to document a funnel process where large numbers adopt a platform, fewer see political content, and even fewer post. In this funnel process, ideological differences become larger. The findings have implications for the formation of homogeneous communities.}},
  author       = {{Boulianne, Shelley and Hoffman, Christian and Bossetta, Michael}},
  issn         = {{1461-4448}},
  keywords     = {{Social Media; Politics; Facebook; Instagram; WhatsApp; YouTube; Twitter; Reddit; Snapchat; Political Communication}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  pages        = {{1--32}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{New Media & Society}},
  title        = {{Social media platforms for politics : A comparison of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, and WhatsApp}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/191990303/Platforms_for_Politics_May2024final.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/14614448241262415}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}