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Who's Writing All Those Political Tweets? - 2022 07 06 10 01 23

The majority of political tweets on Twitter are produced by a very skewed minority of users. Political tweets are dominated by educated older people, by women, and by Democrats. (Pew Research Center)

NH: Analysts have often called Twitter the new "town square." But according to a recent Pew analysis, the social media platform mostly reflects the political views of a few special demographic groups. 

Consider the percentage of all political tweets written by each group.

  • Age: While 18- to 49-year-olds produce only 22%, users aged 50+ produce a whopping 78% of all political tweets.
  • Sex: 29% are written by men, and 70% are written by women.
  • Education: 30% are produced by users with some college or less, and 70% are produced by college graduates.
  • Political Party: 13% are written by Republicans, and 85% Democrats.

Who's Writing All Those Political Tweets? - Twitter 2

Pew also found that Democrats are more likely to follow people who share their beliefs. While only 20% of Republicans say they mostly follow people or accounts that match their views, 40% of Democrats say the same. 

Who's Writing All Those Political Tweets? - Twitter 3

This report bolsters the idea that Twitter is an echo chamber. It doesn't reflect the views of the vast majority of Americans, but rather the opinions of a vocal minority speaking to people who largely agree with them.

A telling finding: Only 45% of Twitter users believe the platform is effective at "changing other people's minds."

Who's Writing All Those Political Tweets? - Twit 3

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ABOUT NEIL HOWE

Neil Howe is a renowned authority on generations and social change in America. An acclaimed bestselling author and speaker, he is the nation's leading thinker on today's generations—who they are, what motivates them, and how they will shape America's future.

A historian, economist, and demographer, Howe is also a recognized authority on global aging, long-term fiscal policy, and migration. He is a senior associate to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C., where he helps direct the CSIS Global Aging Initiative.

Howe has written over a dozen books on generations, demographic change, and fiscal policy, many of them with William Strauss. Howe and Strauss' first book, Generations is a history of America told as a sequence of generational biographies. Vice President Al Gore called it "the most stimulating book on American history that I have ever read" and sent a copy to every member of Congress. Newt Gingrich called it "an intellectual tour de force." Of their book, The Fourth Turning, The Boston Globe wrote, "If Howe and Strauss are right, they will take their place among the great American prophets."

Howe and Strauss originally coined the term "Millennial Generation" in 1991, and wrote the pioneering book on this generation, Millennials Rising. His work has been featured frequently in the media, including USA Today, CNN, the New York Times, and CBS' 60 Minutes.

Previously, with Peter G. Peterson, Howe co-authored On Borrowed Time, a pioneering call for budgetary reform and The Graying of the Great Powers with Richard Jackson.

Howe received his B.A. at U.C. Berkeley and later earned graduate degrees in economics and history from Yale University.