Social Media and Public Opinion

The world has become increasingly more technologically advanced and, concurrently, so has society. The rise of the internet and, subsequently, social media, has entirely altered the way in which individuals communicate, creating processes for entertainment, scientific development, and, arguably the most contentious, the seamless transfer of information. The internet has become increasingly more influential since its formation in the twentieth century. In 2019 alone, the internet sector generated 6 million jobs and comprised $2.1 trillion of the United States GDP (Hooton, 2020). Daily life revolves around the internet and social media; it is where more than 62% of the world gathers their information on a daily basis (Kemp, 2021). The true potential of the internet may arguably have been fully realized during the COVID-19 pandemic, where jobs, healthcare visits, shopping, and entertainment became completely digital. Aside from the number of technological advancements due predominantly from the internet, it also gave rise to an evolutionary metamorphosis of digital media consumption. However, this metamorphosis has not been entirely positive. In this essay I will argue that although social or digital media allows for the rapid spread of information, its impact on public opinion through misinformation, disinformation, and elite manipulation proves to maintain overall negative influence on the relationship between the media and public opinion. First I will outline the factors that characterize this negative change. Second I will discuss the positive implications of digital media on public opinion. Finally I will expand upon the greater negative impacts that digital media has on public opinion.