Japanese conservative messages propagate to moderate users better than their liberal counterparts on Twitter

Mitsuo Yoshida,Takeshi Sakaki,Fujio Toriumi,Tetsuro Kobayashi

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-98349-2

Mitsuo Yoshida, Takeshi Sakaki + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-98349-2

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Abstract

To examine conservative–liberal differences in the extent to which partisan tweets reach less partisan moderate users in a nonwestern context, we analyzed a network of retweets about former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The analyses consistently demonstrated that partisan tweets originating from the conservative cluster reach a wider range of moderate users than those from the liberal cluster. Network analyses revealed that while the conservative and the liberal clusters’ internal structures were similar, the conservative cluster reciprocated the follows from moderate accounts at a higher rate than the liberal cluster. In addition, moderate accounts reciprocated the conservative cluster’s following at a higher rate than they did for the liberal cluster. The analysis of tweet content showed no difference in the frequency of hashtag use between conservatives and liberals, but there were differences in the use of emotion words and linguistic expressions. In particular, emotion words related to the propagation of messages, such as those expressing “dislike”, were used more frequently by conservatives, while the use of adjectives by conservatives was closer to that of moderate users, indicating that conservative tweets are more palatable for moderate users than liberal tweets.

Highlights

To examine conservative–liberal differences in the extent to which partisan tweets reach less partisan moderate users in a nonwestern context, we analyzed a network of retweets about former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
The analysis of tweet content showed no difference in the frequency of hashtag use between conservatives and liberals, but there were differences in the use of emotion words and linguistic expressions
While some argue that the cost of “liking” or retweeting partisan messages is low, so the real political consequences of such “clicktivism” are small[6], others argue that when a message attracts a large number of “likes” and retweets, the partisan messages become visible on social media and can have an impact on public opinion, including those who are not politically active[7]

Summary

Introduction

To examine conservative–liberal differences in the extent to which partisan tweets reach less partisan moderate users in a nonwestern context, we analyzed a network of retweets about former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. If highly partisan social media users only internally share and circulate partisan messages within their own closed echo chambers for mutual affirmation, they will rarely reach the majority of nonpartisan, ideologically moderate users. If partisan echo chambers are closed structures and partisan messages do not spill over to persuadable moderate users, the impact of fragmentation and polarization on social media on public opinion will be limited. In examining the impact of political communication on social media, it is necessary to assess the level of fragmentation and polarization, and the extent to which partisan messages. Spilling over from fragmented partisan echo chambers reach the apolitical and moderate mainstream Against this backdrop, this study examines three research questions about Twitter. This study examines three research questions about Twitter. (a) To what extent do partisan tweets reach moderate users beyond partisan clusters? (b) Are there are differences in the degree of reach between ideological conservatives and liberals? (c) If there are conservative–liberal differences, what causes them?

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