Stacy Jo Dixon
Research expert covering social media usage worldwide
Social media and politics in the United States - statistics & facts
Do online platforms sway votes or create political echo chambers? Social media is a crucial tool with which politicians can reach out to voters and constituents, as internet users are increasingly dependent on digital platforms to obtain news and information of many kinds. Republican, Democrat, and Independent members of Congress all utilize mainstream social media platforms, with some being evidently more active than others. In addition to politicians being more engaged online, social media has space to offer political activists.
Politicians in the United States publish tens of thousands of posts on X per month, and most of this content is in relation to legislation. For example, in November 2023, members of Congress posted over 52,000 times, and around 70 percent of all these were concerning lawmaking, while approximately 30 percent were campaign posts.
As for hashtag use, there were 1,181 uses of #bidenbordercrisis in 2023, followed by #inflationreductionact and #bidenomics, which were both used around one thousand times throughout the year. With 45 percent of X users identifying as right-leaning as of November 2023, it's easy to see why the GOP relies on this platform.
In their efforts to influence votes through the utilization of social media, politicians must exercise caution to avoid alienating a significant portion of the populace. When a platform lacks opportunities for real discourse, a significant number of users may switch to alternative services due to the echo chambers that arise from polarization.
X is on the ballot
Senator Ted Cruz of the Republican party was the most active Senator in the United States Congress on X (formerly Twitter), publishing a total of 6,822 posts on the platform between January and November 2023. The seven most active Senators on X were all Republicans. Even though X/Twitter remains popular among members of Congress, there has been an overall decline in the number of postings on the service. The number of posts on X from members of Congress in 2023 decreased by around 13 percent when compared to 2021.Politicians in the United States publish tens of thousands of posts on X per month, and most of this content is in relation to legislation. For example, in November 2023, members of Congress posted over 52,000 times, and around 70 percent of all these were concerning lawmaking, while approximately 30 percent were campaign posts.
As for hashtag use, there were 1,181 uses of #bidenbordercrisis in 2023, followed by #inflationreductionact and #bidenomics, which were both used around one thousand times throughout the year. With 45 percent of X users identifying as right-leaning as of November 2023, it's easy to see why the GOP relies on this platform.
The right kind of audience
Internet users in the United States utilize social media for a multitude of purposes, ranging from private messaging and following brands to engaging in serious discussions. The most popular social media platform in the country, Facebook, is particularly popular with those from the political right, who account for 38 percent of the country's users as of November 2023. In comparison, just one in five U.S. Facebook users identified as politically left. Reddit was the service with the highest share of left-leaning users, but it appears that social media has an overall politically right audience in the United States.Online activism: finding a voice on social media
It is not guaranteed that all social media users are politically active online, simply because networks tend to attract certain political groups. However, there is, without a doubt, a place for online activism. In May 2023, 34 percent of people in the United States used social media to connect with others who cared about a certain issue or cause. Another 26 percent encouraged others to take action on important issues. The utilization of hashtags is a highly effective means for online activists to spread their message. In fact, 12 percent of users in the United States have used hashtags related to political or social issues. Furthermore, as of March 2023, 72 percent of all Black Lives Matter hashtags expressed support, whereas only one in ten voiced disapprovals.In their efforts to influence votes through the utilization of social media, politicians must exercise caution to avoid alienating a significant portion of the populace. When a platform lacks opportunities for real discourse, a significant number of users may switch to alternative services due to the echo chambers that arise from polarization.
