Do your social media habits reveal your political preferences? The answer could be “yes.”
A new study released Tuesday by Harvard’s Institute of Politics shows what social media networks young Americans (ages 18 to 29) are using, along with what political party they see themselves as. Among the 3,058 polled, the majority are on Facebook, and the split between Democrats and Republicans are even. But on networks like Google+, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr, the majority of users lean left.
The only social media network that leans right? Pinterest.
The social media habits of millennials is only a small part of the study, which also asks young voters their opinions of potential 2016 candidates, such as Hillary Clinton and Gov. Chris Christie, and issues ranging from legalizing marijuana to closing the gap in income disparity.
While the results of this study could be key to the next national campaign in 2016, both parties will have to confront another aspect of youth outreach first: according to those polled, less than one-in-four young Americans under the age of 30 says they will “definitely” be participating in the midterm elections.
Traci Lee