Making friends and enemies on social media: the case of gun policy organizations

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of interest groups in the formation of online echo chambers and to determine whether interest groups’ use of social media contributes to political polarization. Design/methodology/approach This study used a content analysis of nearly 10,000 tweets (from 2009 to 2014) by the Brady campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the National Rifle Association to examine how groups engage with their political allies and opponents. Findings The results indicated that both groups engaged primarily with their supporters on Twitter while avoiding confrontation with their opponents. In particular, both groups used hashtags designed to reach their supporters, retweeted messages almost exclusively from other users with whom they agreed, and disproportionately used Twitter handles of their allies, while avoiding the use of Twitter handles of their opponents. Practical implications The findings suggest that interest groups’ use of social media accelerates the formation of online echo chambers, but does not lead to an increase in polarization beyond existing levels, given practices that maintain civility between opposing sides. Originality/value This is one of few studies to examine the role of interest groups in the formation of online echo chambers. It also uses a novel approach – the examination of both the interactions that occur among social media users and those that are explicitly avoided.

Campaigns and conflict on social media: a literature snapshot

“…How are social media tools used differently by females and males, candidates and citizens, and will social media ameliorate or exacerbate participation inequalities (Bode et al , 2016; Evans, 2016; Gainous et al , 2016; Straus et al , 2016; Vraga, 2016; Valenzuela et al , 2016)? To what degree is social media discourse negative and does social media use produce critical attitudes (Bode et al , 2016; David et al , 2016; Gainous et al , 2016; Merry, 2016; Valenzuela et al , 2016)? Do social media build echo chambers of like-minded individuals and groups (Merry, 2016; Vraga, 2016), and to what degree is social media use interactive (Merry, 2016; Straus et al , 2016; Kruikemeier et al , 2016)?…”

Untitled

“…Further, these findings are not just indicative of different conversations that occur on specific social media platforms, but they also reflect the finding that social media users tend to engage with ideologically-congruent supporters and avoid engagement with ideologicallyincompatible opponents (Merry, 2016). Public health and advocacy organizations should consider this as they address the issue of gun violence on these social media platforms.…”

“…Additionally, although some studies have used social media conversation about incidents of gun violence as cases to develop big data machine-learning techniques (Li et al, 2018;Wang et al, 2017), few have examined the context of the conversations. Two of the few studies available are both content analyses of tweets by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (Auger, 2013;Merry, 2016). Results indicated that both groups mostly interacted with their supporters and avoided engagement with those who disagreed with them (Merry, 2016).…”

“…Two of the few studies available are both content analyses of tweets by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (Auger, 2013;Merry, 2016). Results indicated that both groups mostly interacted with their supporters and avoided engagement with those who disagreed with them (Merry, 2016). However, the NRA was more likely to evoke politics and legislation in its tweets (Auger, 2013).…”

A Bridge in Flux: Narratives and the Policy Process in the Pacific Northwest

“…Merry (), studying the same policy issue, took a closer look at the use of Twitter by the interest groups mentioned above to construct policy narratives in 140 characters or less. Merry (, p. 624), found that both interest groups “engaged primarily with their supporters on Twitter while avoiding confrontation with their opponents.” Gupta, Ripberger, and Wehde () also further explored the utility of Twitter in providing narratives for narrative policy analysis in U.S. nuclear policy. In studying U.S. campaign finance regulatory reform, Gray and Jones () broadened the NPF's use of qualitative methodology in exploring narrative elements and strategies.…”