Young people as political influencers on social media: Skepticism and network thinking
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
7-18-2018
Journal / Book Title
ACM International Conference Proceeding Series
Abstract
This study uses in-depth qualitative focus groups to explore how young people perceive their own persuasive efficacy when posting about their political views on social media. The findings reveal both skepticism and optimism, depending upon how an individual conceptualizes the process of viral influence more broadly. While some young people feel that they lack the reach on social media to make a significant impact or to change the minds of those who hold opposing views, others employ forms of “network thinking” to conceptualize how their political posts contribute to larger network effects and movement-building among their likeminded peers.
DOI
10.1145/3217804.3217944
MSU Digital Commons Citation
Penney, Joel, "Young people as political influencers on social media: Skepticism and network thinking" (2018). College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works. 68.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/scom-facpubs/68
Rights
© 2018
Published Citation
Penney, Joel. “Young People as Political Influencers on Social Media: Skepticism and Network Thinking.” Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Social Media and Society [Copenhagen Denmark], 2018, pp. 355–59. https://doi.org/10.1145/3217804.3217944.