Voters Say Those on the Other Side 'Don't Get' Them. Here's What They Want Them to Know.
Biden and Trump supporters tell us in their own words about America’s political divisions
Most Americans say elected officials should avoid heated or aggressive speech
Seven-in-ten Americans say elected officials should avoid heated or aggressive language because it could encourage some people to take violent action.
Tuning Out: Americans on the Edge of Politics
Untethered from partisan politics and uninterested in keeping up with political news, here is how some Americans view the current state of U.S. politics.
Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics
Americans’ views of politics and elected officials are unrelentingly negative, with little hope of improvement on the horizon. 65% of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics. By contrast, just 10% say they always or often feel hopeful about politics.
Americans differ by party, ideology over the impact of social media on U.S. democracy
74% of Republicans say social media has been more of a bad thing for U.S. democracy, compared with a smaller majority of Democrats (57%).
Social Media Seen as Mostly Good for Democracy Across Many Nations, But U.S. is a Major Outlier
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
In advanced and emerging economies, similar views on how social media affects democracy and society
People in advanced and emerging economies have mixed feelings about social media’s impact on political life.
As the 2022 campaign draws to a close, here’s how federal, state and local candidates have used Twitter
One-in-five federal, state and local candidate tweets in 2022 have mentioned race, abortion, education or the economy.
The Role of Alternative Social Media in the News and Information Environment
In recent years, several new options have emerged in the social media universe, many of which explicitly present themselves as alternatives to more established social media platforms. Free speech ideals and heated political themes prevail on these sites, which draw praise from their users and skepticism from other Americans.
U.S. journalists differ from the public in their views of ‘bothsidesism’ in journalism
55% of journalists surveyed say that every side does not always deserve equal coverage in the news. 22% of Americans overall say the same.
A growing share of Americans are familiar with ‘cancel culture’
61% of U.S. adults say they have heard at least a fair amount about the phrase “cancel culture,” up from 44% in September 2020.
