Political Behaviour/Sociology

F19 - Social Media, Politics, and Influence / Médias sociaux, politique et influence

Date: Jun 5 | Time: 01:45pm to 03:15pm | Location:

Chair/Président/Présidente : Quinn Albaugh (Queen's University)

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : Feodor Snagovsky (University of Alberta)

Evaluating the reach and impacts of misinformation interventions on social media: Mathieu Lavigne (Dartmouth College), Brendan Nyhan (Dartmouth College), Rocio Titiunik (Princeton University), Jack Andolina (Dartmouth College)
Abstract: Despite widespread concern over misinformation on social media, reliable estimates of exposure and engagement with such content, as well as the reach and impacts of interventions, remain limited. We use data collected during the 2020 U.S. presidential election from all active U.S. adults on Facebook and Instagram to measure exposure to and engagement with election fraud and pro-insurrection content. We first analyze sources of exposure (e.g., politicians, untrustworthy sources, closed groups) and variations in exposure and engagement levels based on individual characteristics (e.g., ideology, prior beliefs in fraud). We then evaluate the scope of interventions by examining the proportion of election fraud and pro-insurrection content – along with exposure and engagement levels – that included fact-checking or information labels, was removed for policy violation, or originated from accounts later suspended from the platform. Finally, we assess the effect of these interventions in two ways: 1) we use a regression discontinuity design to measure the effects of labels on exposure and engagement, and 2) we quantify how attitudes towards and uses of mainstream and alternative social media platforms changed after Trump's suspension. The findings have important implications for assessing and enhancing our response to political misinformation.

Disentangling Misinformation from Subjective Evaluations: The Impact of Climate Change Misinformation on Environmental Policy Attitudes: Jan Eckardt (The University of Western Ontario), Mathieu Turgeon (The University of Western Ontario), Alvaro J. Pereira Filho (The University of Western Ontario)
Abstract: Misinformation about climate change is associated with attitudes toward policies aimed at mitigating it. However, previous studies have focused mainly on subjective perceptions of climate change, failing to distinguish these from objectively false misinformation. This likely inflates associations with political variables, since respondents may agree with claims they know to be factually wrong if they align with their ideology. Moreover, little is known about whether different dimensions of misinformation about climate change are associated with attitudes on environmental policy. To address these gaps, we field surveys in Canada, the US, and Japan that examine political predictors and outcomes of being misinformed about climate change. This is done using a new questionnaire to measure misinformation on the existence, causes, impacts, responses to and science of climate change. In addition, we embed an experiment that contrasts questions prompting subjective evaluations with questions assessing the truthfulness of objective facts. This approach provides a comprehensive overview of the associations between misinformation and policy stances, while distinguishing these relationships from those driven by ideology or partisan cheerleading. In doing so, we provide a clearer picture of the relationship between the multiple dimensions of misinformation about climate change and environmental policy preferences. More generally, we also highlight potential biases that arise from conflating misinformation with ideologically driven subjective evaluations.

Politics Waiting in Your Cart: Deep Dive into the Role of Culture, Political Merchandize, and Digital Media in the 2025 Canadian Federal Elections: Vincent Raynauld (Emerson College), Mireille Lalancette (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières)
Abstract: Over the past decades, political merchandising has emerged as an integral component of politicians’ marketing toolkit internationally. Building on the commercial logic deeply ingrained in contemporary politics, it enables candidates to package themselves and their message for mass appeal and consumption, especially in digital media environment characterized by the . In many ways, it can them help boost their public name recognition, inject socio-cultural trendiness and relatability into their public image, increase their reach and credibility within the public, as well as broaden and deepen their public support. This paper takes interest in this dynamic. It does so by analyzing how Canadian political parties – and their leaders – are leveraging political merchandizing promoted and sold through stores accessible through their main website and other digital platforms, including social media, for outreach and engagement during the 2025 Canadian federal elections. It enables them to 1) capture and put forth a potent shared political identity appealing to elements of voters’ socio-demographic profile, aspirations, values, and norms; 2) simplify complex political messages and make them more accessible to the public; 3) mobilize voters and solidify their commitment towards a candidate or a cause. As this paper tackles a phenomenon that has gained traction in recent decades, it helps lay the groundwork for future research unpacking how elements of consumerism, lifestyle, culture, and identity shape dynamics of political marketing.