Study Says Majority Of Users Don’t Care About Politics On Twitter

The latest study falls in line with recent Pew research, which notes that “a vast majority of these political tweets are produced by a minority of users.” In addition, Americans that are 50 years of age or older account only for a quarter of Twitter’s U.S. user base, but they contribute an overwhelming 78% of political tweets. Just like the UC Davis research discussed, Pew’s research also found that this “politically hyperactive” user base on Twitter is more likely (at 45%) to follow accounts belonging to their own ideology than those from the other side of the camp. 

Additionally, over a third of all tweets produced by Twitter users are political in nature. A more expansive Stanford study from 2021 — which analyzed political parties in seven countries and assessed over 6 million articles shared in the U.S. — pointed out that Twitter’s own algorithm amplifies the tweets and news sources aligning with right-wing political ideology. Even Twitter’s own research published last year arrived at a similar conclusion. 

As for the negative reactions to opposing political beliefs highlighted by the Science Advances study, another one published in Social Psychological and Personality Science observed that political chatter has only grown meaner on Twitter. But that toxicity is not solely the doing of the average citizen. On the contrary, the study found that “incivility” in tweets posted by members of Congress has grown significantly within the decade.