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Social media, education, and the rise of populist Euroscepticism

Author

Listed:
  • Piergiuseppe Fortunato

    (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
    Université de Neuchatel)

  • Marco Pecoraro

    (Université de Neuchatel)

Abstract

This paper studies how the diffusion of skeptical or negative attitudes towards the European Union (EU) and the process of European integration relates to the new technologies of political communication, education, and their interaction. Using both European-wide and national surveys, we find a strong relationship between exposure to online political activity and Euroscepticism only among individuals with lower formal education. When distinguishing between different forms of online political activity it also finds that it is not the use of the internet per se that matters, but the specific use of social networks, like Twitter or Facebook, for obtaining information about politics. These results turn out to be robust to the use of instrumental variables intended to capture the speed of connection available and the relative easiness of using internet and social media.

Suggested Citation

  • Piergiuseppe Fortunato & Marco Pecoraro, 2022. "Social media, education, and the rise of populist Euroscepticism," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:9:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-022-01317-y
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-022-01317-y
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    2. Anna Davies & Betsy Donald & Mia Gray, 2023. "The power of platforms—precarity and place," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 16(2), pages 245-256.

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