Lectures: 27
How Facebook and Instagram Influence Voting Behavior: Research Reveals Social Media’s Impact on Political Trends
Researchers from Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, have carried out a study on the influence of these social networks on the electoral behavior of their users. The results of this analysis have been published in various studies, yielding interesting findings on how these platforms affect the political tendencies of their users.
One of the studies indicates that users with more conservative ideological tendencies are the ones who tend to be more exposed to false news or fake news on Facebook compared to those with more liberal opinions. The research is part of the initiative “Facebook and Instagram Election Study” (FIES), announced by Meta in 2020, with the aim of understanding the impact of social networks during democratic electoral processes, specifically the United States presidential elections. in that year.
To carry out these investigations, Meta collaborated with 17 external scientists, who were free to decide which analyzes to run and had final say on the content of the research papers. Each study analyzed the activity of some 23,000 users on Meta’s social networks during the electoral cycle, with data collected with prior authorization from the users.
In the first study published in the journal Science, titled “Asymmetrical Ideological Segregation in Exposure to Political News on Facebook”, Facebook is described as a “substantially ideologically segregated social and informational environment”. It is highlighted that this ideological segregation is manifested more in the content published by pages and groups than by friends. The researchers found a higher prevalence of unreliable content in right-wing media compared to left-wing media, indicating that users with conservative leanings are more exposed to false information or misinformation on Facebook.
Another study, entitled “How Do Social Media Feed Algorithms Affect Attitudes and Behavior in an Election Campaign?”, analyzes the influence of Facebook and Instagram algorithms on users’ electoral behavior. In Facebook’s chronological feed, the proportion of content from unreliable sources increased compared to the algorithmic feed. In addition, the researchers found that the chronological feed reduced the time users spent on and interacted with both platforms.
The third study, titled “Reshares on Social Media Amplify Political News but do not Detectably Affect Beliefs or Opinions”, addresses the phenomenon of ‘resonance chambers’, where participants tend to find ideas that amplify and reinforce their own beliefs in media. and social networks. The researchers concluded that removing shared content on Facebook substantially reduced the amount of political news, including content from untrustworthy sources, to which users were exposed.
In response to these studies, Meta has expressed that these investigations could help answer important questions about social networks and democracy. They have highlighted that key features of Meta platforms do not cause harmful affective polarization or have significant effects on key political attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors. Although these investigations will not resolve all debates on social networks and democracy, it is hoped that they will contribute to a better understanding of these issues in society.
In conclusion, the research carried out by Meta and external academics has provided valuable insights into how Facebook and Instagram influence the voting behavior and political tendencies of their users. The impact of social networks in the political sphere is a crucial topic today, and these studies offer an important perspective to better understand how these platforms shape political opinions and attitudes in the digital world.
