politics of tweeting, tweeting of politics: the uses of social media by state parliamentarians in...

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Politics of tweeting, tweeting of politics: The uses of social media by state parliamentarians

in Germany and Australia

Presentation prepared for the 6th European Communication ConferenceECREA Prague, 12th November 2016

Julia Schwanholz, Brenda Moon, Axel Bruns, Felix Münch

Queensland University of Technology

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Research Question and Design of the Study Social media have become embedded into the everyday work of professional

politicians Politicians use of Social Media seems to increase in general worldwide but it varies from country to country and also from region to region

RQ: To what extent does politicians‘ Social Media use vary between most comparable regions and why?

Wider research context: Does Social Media impact representative democracy and how?

Case selection: State Parliaments of Australia and Germany Similar: democratic, federal countries; industrialized countries, both have a

large amount of Internet use & online activity Different: majority vs. consensus democracy (Lijphart 1999)

Method: Mixed-methods approach, drawing on in-depth interviews with representatives and also providing detailed quantitative and qualitative analyses

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Germany’s state parliament: Nds.

Landtag

Australia’s state parliament: Vic.

Parliam.Number of Parliamentarians 135

(only one chamber)128

(88 MLA, legisl. chamber)

Number of active Parliamentarians on Twitter

38 (28%) 100 (78%)

Number of tweets sent during period (11/2015-11/2016)

8,824 69,664

Number of in-depth Interviews

yet to be conducted 18 (20% of MLA)

Population of State 8 million 6 million

Countries‘ Internet Usage, State Parliaments & Information on Data Collection

Germany AustraliaInternet Penetration(01/2016, Source: Statista)

71,73 million= 89% (of 83 million)

21,2 million= 88% (of 24

million)Active Social Media User(01/2016, Source: Statista)

29 million= 36%

14 million= 58%

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Interview Results: Victorian Parliament‘s MLA

Question: Which Social Media tools do you use?

Twitter Facebook Flickr google+ Instagramm YouTube LinkedIn other0

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4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Social Media Use (n=18)

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Question: How long have you been using Social Media?

28%

11%

44%

17%

Duration of Social Media Use* (n=18)

<1 year1-2 years2-5 years>5 years

*Private use sometimes longer


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Question: For what reason do you use Social Media?

for business privately0

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4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Reasons for Social Media Use (n=18)


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personally by staff of my behalf by agency0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

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Usage of Social Media and Support (n=18)

Question: How do you use Social Media?


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Question: How did you learn to use Social Media?

learning-by-doing

education and professi

onal training

training by s

taff

other (family

,friends)

02468

1012141618

Social Media Training (n=18)

Interview Results: Victorian Parliaments‘ MLA

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Question: How often do you use Social Media?

regularly, daily weekly monthly seldom0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Frequency of Social Media Use (n=18)


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Question: Which desription fits you best (self-ascription)?

newcomer6%

amateur61%

professional28%

mixed6%

User Type: self ascription (n=18)

newcomeramateurprofessionalmixed


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Quantitative Results: Victorian Parliament & Nds. Landtag

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Preliminary Conclusion, Next Research Steps & Outlook

Social Media Use in Vic. Parliament is personal, deliberate, frequent

Significant difference in Twitter activity between State MPs in the two countries

Analysis & Explanation of Social Media activity (and attitudes) by indicators (e.g.): age gender political party function in parliament opposition or government long serving member of parliament / newcomer in parliament marginal vs. safe constituencies area where constituency is located personal attitude to (e.g. prejudice against) Social Media general reputation of Social Media