by WorldTribune Staff, April 8, 2019
The unfriend button is taking a pounding as political rage spreads like wildfire on social media, a networking and privacy firm said.
A survey for Comparitech found that nearly 52 percent of social media users have wiped friends over political arguments. Overall, 44 percent unfriended somebody with opposite political opinions.
“Acquaintances were the ones most commonly being axed from social media feeds – 74.8 percent of people who admitted to unfriending someone said the person was an acquaintance,” Comparitech said. “Nearly 52 percent of respondents reported removing friends, and 22 percent said they had unfriended a co-worker.”
Washington Examiner columnist Paul Bedard noted that “The new survey found that many like to rage on social media. And while the media is often focused on President Trump’s quick Twitter finger, it’s the Democrats who are rage happy.”
The survey found that Democrats are 47 percent more likely than Republicans to express their political views on Twitter.
Comparitech said 38 percent of Democrats said they were more likely to post on social media in the wake of the 2016 election, while less than a quarter of both Independents and Republicans felt the same.
Democrats are 38 percent more likely than Republicans to post about social issues, while Republicans are nearly three times more likely to express their views about national security on social media, the survey found.
Comparitech said that the findings provide a lesson to those on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms – lighten up and maybe listen to others:
“While the same dissenting voice flooding your news feed on the daily can be frustrating, it’s also important to recognize the perils of being selective. Exposing yourself to opinions that don’t mirror your own is a crucial part of being an informed and active member of our social fabric, and welcoming conversations with people whose opinions differ from yours is an important step toward overcoming fear of the other side. Just remember to resist slinging accusations and avoid adopting an attitude of wanting to change your discussion partner’s mind from the get-go.”
Your Intel Brief: Geostrategy-Direct __________ Fix The Media Now
Lighten up: Survey finds lots of ‘unfriending’ going on; Democrats 47 percent ‘more rage-happy’ added by World Tribune on
View all posts by World Tribune →