When charismatic leadership Trumps social networking: Searching for the effects of social media on beliefs of electoral legitimacy

Abstract

AbstractThis research examines the effect that information and communications technology, via social media, had on peoples' confidence in American democratic processes. Using a large N dataset, this work finds that use of social networking sites (SNS) had a negligible effect on voter confidence. This finding is surprising given President Trump's ubiquitous online presence and his role in pushing conspiracies about electoral fraud in the 2020 presidential election. I go on to examine how respondents' sentiment toward President Trump affected the trust they had in American democratic institutions. This study finds that political elites can serve as a more powerful influence on their constituents than do the effects of social media usage. SNS will continue to pose a unique challenge to American democracy as for‐profit corporations continue to develop online platforms that compel engagement by offering salacious content that feeds into users' biases.Related ArticlesGarrett, Terence Michael. 2020. “The Security Apparatus, Federal Magistrate Courts, and Detention Centers as Simulacra: The Effects of Trump's Zero Tolerance Policy on Migrants and Refugees in the Rio Grande Valley.” Politics & Policy 48(2): 372–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12348.Merry, Melissa K. 2022. “Trump's Tweets as Policy Narratives: Constructing the Immigration Issue via Social Media.” Politics & Policy 50(4): 752–72. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12487.Rowe, Andrew D., and David E. Pitfield. 2019. “The Challenge of Social Media Incorporation: A Case Study of HACAN Clearskies.” Politics & Policy 47(4): 775–806. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12319.