Leaning In or Turning Away? Differential Effects of the Early Pandemic Lockdown on Twitter Use

Authors

  • Daniela Stoltenberg Freie Universität Berlin
  • Neta Kligler-Vilenchik The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Maya de Vries Kedem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Hadas Gur-Ze'ev The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Barbara Pfetsch Freie Universität Berlin
  • Annie Waldherr University of Vienna

Keywords:

crisis communication, differential effects, information elite, mobile experience sampling method, political expression, Twitter

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic raised interest in the question of digital participation and expression during crises. Our study contributes to this debate through a deep dive into differential effects the pandemic had on the social and political expression of Twitter users. We report results from a mobile experience sampling method survey of intense users from Jerusalem, Israel. As the study was in the field when lockdown measures were implemented, it can trace changes in expressive behaviors as the crisis emerged. Our data demonstrate differential patterns in use intensity and communication about the pandemic. Many people intensified their Twitter use, but some turned away. Compared with younger users, older people used Twitter less and communicated about the pandemic less. More educated users intensified their use, compared with less educated users. Rather than causing complete realignments of expression, the pandemic intensified existing differential patterns. Our study demonstrates how, in a moment of uncertainty, a situation-specific information elite formed within a set of intense Twitter users, one that could gain disproportionate power in shaping public understanding of the pandemic.

Author Biographies

Daniela Stoltenberg, Freie Universität Berlin

Title: Dr. Daniela StoltenbergDepartment: Institute for Media and Communication StudiesPhone: +49 30 838 63424

Neta Kligler-Vilenchik, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Title: Prof. Dr. Neta Kligler-VilenchikDepartment: Department of Communication and JournalismPhone: +972-53-8243193

Maya de Vries Kedem, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Title: Dr. Maya de Vries KedemDepartment: Department of Communication and JournalismPhone: +972-54-5585077

Hadas Gur-Ze'ev, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Title: Hadas Gur-Ze'evDepartment: Department of Communication and JournalismPhone: +97254-7639218

Barbara Pfetsch, Freie Universität Berlin

Title: Prof. Dr. Barbara PfetschDepartment: Institute for Media and Communication StudiesPhone: +49 30 838 57530

Annie Waldherr, University of Vienna

Title: Prof. Dr. Annie WaldherrDepartment: Department of CommunicationPhone: +43-1-4277-493 52

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Published

2024-09-28

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Articles