Social Media Use and Participation in Dueling Protests: The Case of the 2016–2017 Presidential Corruption Scandal in South Korea

Abstract

This study examines how citizens’ social media use may have influenced their participation in highly polarizing protests during the 2016–2017 corruption scandal in South Korea. As social media users mobilize politically by acquiring varied political information from other users, social media use created more incentives for citizens to participate in both pro- and anti-impeachment protests during the scandal. Given that social media is an important arena for political activism, participation in rival protests also influences many motivated protesters to strengthen their side’s voices online. Thus, protests may increase citizens’ political use of social media. Our empirical analysis suggests that social network service use does not influence citizens’ political activities in a unidirectional manner. We have found that social media use and participation in rival protests reciprocally influence each other.

The role of (social) media in political polarization: a systematic review

“…However, some suggest the effect of social media use and polarization is small (Johnson et al, 2017), and that it is not about what we see on social media, but rather what we choose to share on social media that drives political polarization (Johnson et al, 2020). Others find real-world implications for social media use, showing that social media use is linked to participation in polarizing political protests (Chang & Park, 2020). Also, some research suggests a reciprocal relationship between media exposure and increased political polarization (Chang & Park, 2020).…”

“…Others find real-world implications for social media use, showing that social media use is linked to participation in polarizing political protests (Chang & Park, 2020). Also, some research suggests a reciprocal relationship between media exposure and increased political polarization (Chang & Park, 2020).…”

‘We Will Never Forget’: Thematic Analysis of Digital Media Contents during the 2021 #EndSARSMemorial protests in Nigeria

“…For example, it has been established that the #FreeYouth protests in Thailand were loosely connected clusters of weak ties on Twitter and that Twitter and other social media platforms help invigorate and facilitate the protest (Sinpeng, 2021). Interestingly, researchers have also established that participating in protests increase citizen's political use of social media platforms (Chang & Park, 2021). This implies that the more people join and participate in protests, the more they use social media platforms for political purposes.…”

“…This implies that the more people join and participate in protests, the more they use social media platforms for political purposes. This is exacerbated during duelling protests such as the 2016-2017 presidential corruption scandal in South Korea (Chang & Park, 2021).…”

Social Networks’ Role In The Russian Public Policy Digitalization

“…Thus, social networks use may lead to increased participation in political protests because it exposes users to multiple sources and political information types. Besides, protest engagement creates incentives for participants to discuss protest events and polarizing political views on social media (Chang & Park, 2020).…”