Political information 2.0: A study in political learning via social media

This project seeks to understand the role of social media in the modern political information environment. It considers three main questions. First, how are users exposed to political information within social media? How often is the typical user exposed to political information? What types of users are exposed to political information?;Second, I consider whether exposure to political information within social media results in increases in political knowledge. Are social media users more politically knowledgeable than non-users, all other things being equal?;Finally, I consider what outcomes take place as a result of exposure to political information within social media. Do users engage in information seeking? Do they engage in political behaviors? Do they change attitudes or opinions on issues to which they are exposed via social media?;I find that users of social media are regularly exposed to political information. They may learn from it under appropriate conditions, and the information to which they are exposed tends to be politically heterogeneous. Exposure to such information results in additional information seeking and sharing, as well as some attitudinal change and increases in traditional political behaviors. Implications of these findings are discussed.