Pro-Democratic Social Views Vary by Social Media Platform
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Pro-Democratic Social Views Vary by Social Media Platform
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X, Snapchat users most likely to say Americans are committed to democracy
Facebook and X users more likely to strongly identify as Americans
Views differ across platforms beyond demographics or politics
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Users of various social media platforms vary in their views on core social attitudes that underpin a healthy democracy, including perceptions of shared commitment to democracy, a common national identity, and belief in citizens’ collective power. These differences persist even after accounting for users’ demographic and political characteristics, as well as their use of multiple social media platforms.
Compared with those who don’t use these platforms regularly, frequent users of different social media platforms exhibit distinct patterns in their pro-democratic social attitudes:
Stronger positive orientation among X and Snapchat users: Individuals who regularly use X (formerly Twitter) and Snapchat are more likely to express more positive views across measures.
Moderately positive attitudes among Facebook users: Regular Facebook users also tend to report more positive views on these measures, though the strength of these associations is less pronounced than among X and Snapchat users.
Mixed attitudes among TikTok and YouTube users: Those who frequently use TikTok and YouTube show some evidence of increased pro-democracy social attitudes, particularly in their belief in collective power, but the pattern is not consistent across measures.
No clear differences among Instagram users: Regular Instagram users do not differ meaningfully from non-users in their pro-democracy social attitudes.
More skeptical views among Reddit users: Regular Reddit users often express more negative views on pro-democracy social attitudes, compared with those who don’t use Reddit regularly.
These findings are from a new analysis of data from the Democracy for All Project, a partnership between The Charles F. Kettering Foundation and Gallup featuring a nationally representative survey of more than 20,000 Americans.
Snapchat and X Users Show Strongest Perceived Shared Commitment to Democracy
U.S. adults who use X and Snapchat “regularly” are consistently among the most likely to believe that most Americans share a commitment to maintaining a strong democracy, compared with those who use these platforms less frequently and with regular users of other platforms. Regular Facebook users also express more positive views on this measure than those who are not regular Facebook users.
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Although the views of regular Reddit users are similar to those of regular users of several other platforms, after accounting for differences in demographics and political affiliation across platforms, Reddit users are more likely than non-users to express skepticism about others’ commitment to democracy. Use of other platforms shows little to no consistent relationship with perceptions of shared commitment to maintaining a strong democracy.
Identity and Belonging Are Strongest Among X, Facebook and Snapchat Users
Regular users of X, Facebook and Snapchat are more likely to report a strong sense of identification — both as Americans and as members of their local communities — than infrequent or non-users of these platforms. Reddit users are least likely to strongly identify as Americans, though they rank closer to the middle of the pack when it comes to identifying strongly with their local communities.
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However, after accounting for demographic and political differences across platforms, Snapchat users (who are more likely to be young adults under the age of 30) exhibit even stronger feelings of national and community identity than Facebook users do.
When these same factors are taken into account, regular Reddit users are significantly less likely to report strong identification as Americans or as members of their local communities compared with those who don’t frequently use Reddit.
Instagram users also show somewhat weaker levels of national identity relative to those who do not regularly use the platform, while TikTok and YouTube users don’t show strong links to either measure of shared identity.
Belief in Citizen Power Highest Among X and Snapchat Users
Belief in citizens’ ability to influence the country is strongest among X users, with Snapchat users showing similarly strong levels relative to non-users. Regular users of TikTok, Facebook and YouTube also tend to express somewhat more positive beliefs in citizen power compared with non-users, though not as strongly as those on X or...