Does social media influence voters? : A quantitative empirical study of the Osaka prefectural gubernatorial election

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20186
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0108:Sociology and related fields
• Research Institution: Kanda University of International Studies
• Principal Investigator: Tanihara Tsukasa 神田外語大学, 外国語学部, 講師 (50962809)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: SNS / 政治コミュニケーション / 選挙 / 世論

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As a result of the research, it has been decided to publish a book around August 2024. This book is centered on the results of the voter survey conducted in 2022 and the Osaka Prefectural Governor election survey in 2023, which were undertaken as part of the this grant project. It aims to clarify the reality of political communication on the internet based on data. Including survey results from the House of Representatives election in 2021 and the House of Councillors election in 2022, which were conducted before the grant, the book reveals what kind of political communication took place online and who was involved in such communication. Building on the academic accumulation regarding public opinion, it discusses how we should engage with "internet public opinion."

Free Research Field

社会情報学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

「ネット世論」は、従来の「世論」とは異なり、大きなバイアスがあることが明らかになった。本研究はそのメカニズムや帰結を理論的、実証的観点から明らかにした。本研究は、インターネットやソーシャルメディアによる情報収集が一般化した昨今において、人々が「ネット世論」とどのように向き合っていけばよいかを示唆するものである。また学術的には、複数回にわたる選挙についてX上の世論を分析し、情報発信者の特徴を体系的に明らかにして一冊の書籍にまとめた点に付加価値がある。