Super excited about this!

Curious to learn more? 🌐 Check it out for FREE while it lasts: doi.org/10.1017/9781...
Thank you to my co-authors,
@cambridgeup.bsky.social
Element Series editor
@snsoroka.bsky.social , and everyone else for reading!!!

As observed in 2024 US elections, social media enables a participatory democracy but struggles to foster an informed one. It's a space for amplifying beliefs but often lacks the depth needed for meaningful political understanding. This paradox impacts liberal democracies today.

Our findings, based on 500+ studies and 4 US survey datasets (2009–2019), show a troubling trend:
People engage in political activities online (protests, discussions) but lack the critical info to make informed decisions. Is participation enough without knowledge?

Over two decades of research (2000–2020) show a paradox:
📈 Social media boosts political participation, people are engaging more online and offline.
📉 But it doesn't significantly improve political knowledge, and may even hinder it.
We call it the Social Media Democracy Mirage

🚨 New Book Alert (NOW FREE TO DOWNLOAD) 🚨
Social media promised to revitalize democracy. But has it? 🤔
'Social Media Democracy Mirage', explores how social media drives political participation but leaves us alarmingly uninformed.
Read/download: doi.org/10.1017/9781...
🧵👇

Excited to share a new & timely @cambridgeup.bsky.social Element in Politics & Comm: Social Media Democracy Mirage: How Social Media News Fuels a Politically Uninformed Participatory Democracy. Zúñiga, Marné, Goyanes & Scheffauer. Free download til Dec 18! #commsky #polisky doi.org/10.1017/9781...