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Yes, The Medium Matters: How Facebook and Twitter boost Populism in Europe

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  • Piergiuseppe Fortunato
  • Marco Pecoraro

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Piergiuseppe Fortunato & Marco Pecoraro, 2020. "Yes, The Medium Matters: How Facebook and Twitter boost Populism in Europe," IRENE Working Papers 20-01, IRENE Institute of Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:irn:wpaper:20-01
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Populism; Euroscepticism; Internet; Social Networks; Education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • N34 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: 1913-
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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