Online Activism

More than 44 million #BlackLivesMatter tweets from nearly 10 million distinct users currently exist on Twitter today. Over half of all existing tweets that include the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag were posted from May to September 2020.

Roughly one-quarter of American adults use Twitter. And when they share their views on the site, quite often they are doing so about politics and political issues.

Americans who hold less consistently liberal or conservative views tend to be less engaged in national politics.

A minority of Twitter users produce a majority of tweets from U.S. adults, and the most active tweeters are less likely to view the tone or civility of discussions as a major problem on the site.

Pew Research Center’s political typology sorts Americans into cohesive, like-minded groups based on their values, beliefs, and views about politics and the political system. Use this tool to compare the groups on some key topics and their demographics.

Among U.S. social media users, 45% of Gen Z adults have interacted with content that focuses on the need for action on climate change.

53% of U.S. adults who voted in the general election say they engaged in at least 1 of 6 political activities over the past six months.

These platforms have served as venues for political engagement and social activism for many years, especially for Black Americans.

The share of social media users who say they have changed their views on an issue has increased since we last asked this question in 2018.

Entering the peak of the the 2020 election season, social media platforms are firmly entrenched as a venue for Americans to process campaign news and engage in various types of social activism. But not all Americans use these platforms in similar ways.