Yes, the medium matters: How Facebook and Twitter boost populism in Europe

Arbeitspapier

This paper examines how socio-economic characteristics, changes in the technology of political communication and their interactions affect the sentiments of the electorate and favor the spread of populist ideas in Europe. Using both European-wide and national surveys we find a significant association between exposure to online political activity and diffusion of populist ideas such as Euroscepticism only among less educated and economically vulnerable individuals. We also show that it is not the use of the internet per se that matters but the specific use of social networks for political activity.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IRENE Working Paper ; No. 20-01

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior ; Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: Europe: 1913- ; Entertainment; Media ; Information and Internet Services; Computer Software ; Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
• Subject: Populism ; Euroscepticism ; Internet ; Social Networks ; Education

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Fortunato, Piergiuseppe ; Pecoraro, Marco
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): University of Neuchâtel, Institute of Economic Research (IRENE)
• (where): Neuchâtel
• (when): 2020

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/213485
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET