<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>While observers have focused on the political use of social media when exploring their democratic potential, we know little about users’ perceptions of these media. These perceptions could well be important to understanding the political use of social media. In exploring users’ perceptions, the article asks whether politicians and voters view social media in a similar way, and to what extent they consider social media to be an apt arena for political communication. Within a Norwegian context, which may prove useful as a critical case, and using the technological frames model, we find that although voters’ and politicians’ opinions are not that dissimilar overall, politicians are more likely to recognize the political communicative role of social media. However, social media do indeed have the potential to become arenas for political mobilization among groups that traditionally are less visible in political arenas.</p>
</abstract>

While observers have focused on the political use of social media when exploring their democratic potential, we know little about users’ perceptions of these media. These perceptions could well be important to understanding the political use of social media. In exploring users’ perceptions, the article asks whether politicians and voters view social media in a similar way, and to what extent they consider social media to be an apt arena for political communication. Within a Norwegian context, which may prove useful as a critical case, and using the technological frames model, we find that although voters’ and politicians’ opinions are not that dissimilar overall, politicians are more likely to recognize the political communicative role of social media. However, social media do indeed have the potential to become arenas for political mobilization among groups that traditionally are less visible in political arenas.

Perceptions of Social Media

Nordicom Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

A Joint Arena for Voters and Politicians?

While observers have focused on the political use of social media when exploring their democratic potential, we know little about users’ perceptions of these...

Perceptions of Social Media

Data publikacji: 29 paź 2015

Zakres stron: 65 - 78

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2015-0017

Słowa kluczowe
political communication, social media, perceptions, voters, politicians, Norway

© 2015 Signe Bock Segaard, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Perceptions of Social Media

Data publikacji: 29 paź 2015

Zakres stron: 65 - 78

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2015-0017

Słowa kluczowepolitical communication, social media, perceptions, voters, politicians, Norway

© 2015 Signe Bock Segaard, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Słowa kluczowe
political communication, social media, perceptions, voters, politicians, Norway