Researchers with the University of 黑洞社区 have released the results from a statewide survey that measures Floridians鈥� use of Facebook to engage with the presidential election, as well as their attitudes regarding the political information they encounter online.
Here are key findings:
Despite recent controversies, Floridians rely heavily on Facebook to stay informed about the election. More than half of Floridians (58%) say that they have relied on Facebook at least a 鈥淎 Little鈥� to stay informed about the presidential election, while nearly a third (31%) say they have relied on it 鈥淎 Lot鈥�. More than half say that they collect information about the election on Facebook at least 鈥淥nce a Week鈥�, while just under a quarter (22%) do so 鈥淓very Day鈥�.
Despite their reliance on social media, most don鈥檛 trust the information they encounter there. Nearly two-thirds of Floridians (63%) say that they are 鈥淣ot Very Confident鈥� (33%) or 鈥淣ot at All Confident鈥� (30%) in the accuracy of the political information that they encounter on Facebook. Only 13% indicated that they are 鈥淰ery Confident鈥� in this regard.
When it comes to politics, Floridians describe social media as 鈥淥ne-Sided鈥�, 鈥淔rustrating鈥�, 鈥淗ateful鈥�, and 鈥淥ffensive鈥�. When asked how they would describe the political conversations they鈥檝e encountered on social media, Floridians painted a decidedly negative picture. The most commonly selected adjectives included 鈥淥ne-sided鈥� (41%), 鈥淔rustrating鈥� (40%), 鈥淗ateful鈥� (37%), and 鈥淥ffensive鈥� (35%). In contrast, 30% said 鈥淚nformative鈥�, while less than 20% said 鈥淭houghtful鈥� or 鈥淐onstructive鈥�.
Many Floridians have 鈥淟ost Friends鈥� because of the election. In the past three months, more than a quarter of Floridians (29%) have 鈥淯nfriended鈥� or 鈥淯nfollowed鈥� someone on Facebook because of their political posts. Another 25% have utilized Facebook鈥檚 鈥淪nooze鈥� feature to temporarily block someone over their political posts.
Some partisan differences. Republicans indicated heavier reliance on Facebook than Democrats and Independents (42%, compared to 29% and 19% respectively). Republicans were also more likely to report being 鈥淰ery Confident鈥� in the political information they encounter on Facebook (18.6%, compared to 10.8% and 9.3% among Democrats and Independents). Additionally, Republicans were slightly more likely to have 鈥淯nfriended鈥� or 鈥淯nfollowed鈥� someone because of political posts in the past three months, though only by a small margin (33% compared to 27% of Democrats).
Significant differences in attitudes and behaviors by age. Respondents between the ages of 25 and 54 reported a heavier reliance on Facebook to stay informed about the election (with 47% saying that they relied on the social networking site 鈥淎 Lot鈥�) compared to only 20% of those between 55 and 64, and 11% of those over 65. Younger respondents were also much more likely to trust the accuracy of the political information they encounter on Facebook, as well as more likely to have 鈥淯nfriended鈥� or 鈥淯nfollowed鈥� someone over political posts. More than a third of those under the age of 54 reported 鈥淯nfriending鈥� or 鈥淯nfollowing鈥� someone over politics in the past three months, compared to less than 20% of those over the age of 55.
The survey of 600 Floridians was fielded Oct. 10-17, 2020, and the results are reported with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error +/- 4.
The complete survey results can be found here.