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Does Social Media Promote Democracy? Some Empirical Evidence

Author

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  • Chandan K. Jha

    (Madden School of Business, New York, USA)

  • Oasis Kodila-Tedika

    (University of Kinshasa, The DRC)

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between social media and democracy in a cross- section of over 125 countries around the world. We find the evidence of a strong, positive correlation between Facebook penetration (a proxy for social media) and democracy. We further show that the correlation between social media and democracy is stronger for low-income countries than high-income countries. Our lowest point estimates indicate that a one-standard deviation (about 18 percentage point) increase in Facebook penetration is associated with about 8-point (on a scale of 0–100) increase for the world sample and over 11 points improvement for low-income countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Chandan K. Jha & Oasis Kodila-Tedika, 2019. "Does Social Media Promote Democracy? Some Empirical Evidence," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 19/031, African Governance and Development Institute..
    • Handle: RePEc:agd:wpaper:19/031
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    Cited by:

    1. Joël Cariolle & Yasmine Elkhateeb & Mathilde Maurel, 2022. "(Mis-)information technology: Internet use and perception of democracy in Africa," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 22010, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne.
    2. Kodila-Tedika, Oasis & Khalifa, Sherif, 2020. "Leaders’ Foreign Travel and Democracy," MPRA Paper 105601, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 26 Jan 2021.
    3. Asongu, Simplice & Odhiambo, Nicholas, 2020. "Social Media and Inclusive Human Development in Africa," MPRA Paper 103149, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Asongu, Simplice A. & Uduji, Joseph I. & Okolo-Obasi, Elda N., 2019. "Homicide and social media: Global empirical evidence," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    5. Adegboye, Alex & Asongu, Simplice & Tchamyou, Vanessa & Osinubi, Tolulope & Adeyanju, Ibukunoluwa, 2021. "Educational quality, social media and public accountability: a global perspective," MPRA Paper 111754, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Simplice A. Asongu & Stella-Maris I. Orim & Rexon T. Nting, 2019. "Terrorism and Social Media: Global Evidence," Journal of Global Information Technology Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(3), pages 208-228, July.
    7. Simplice A. Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu & Stella-Maris I. Orim & Chris Pyke, 2019. "Crime and Social Media," Research Africa Network Working Papers 19/003, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    8. Bjørnskov, Christian & Freytag, Andreas & Gutmann, Jerg, 2022. "Coups and the dynamics of media freedom," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    9. Asongu, Simplice A. & Odhiambo, Nicholas M., 2019. "Governance and social media in African countries: An empirical investigation," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(5), pages 411-425.
    10. Cariolle, Joël & Elkhateeb, Yasmine & Maurel, Mathilde, 2024. "Misinformation technology: Internet use and political misperceptions in Africa," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 400-433.
    11. Oasis Kodila-Tedika, 2021. "Natural resource governance: does social media matter?," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 34(1), pages 127-140, April.
    12. Mongi Lassoued, 2021. "Control of corruption, microfinance, and income inequality in MENA countries: evidence from panel data," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 1(7), pages 1-19, July.
    13. Uğur Baloğlu, 2021. "Trolls, Pressure and Agenda: The discursive fight on Twitter in Turkey," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(4), pages 39-51.
    14. Simplice Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Tourism and social media in the world: an empirical investigation," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 46(7), pages 1319-1331, November.
    15. Jha, Chandan Kumar & Panda, Bibhudutta & Sahu, Santosh Kumar, 2022. "Institutions and conflict," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    16. Avom, Desire & Yselle Malah, Flora, 2022. "Social media and happiness nexus in the millennial generation," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(8).
    17. Shumilo Olga & Kerikmäe Tanel & Chochia Archil, 2019. "Restrictions of Russian Internet Resources in Ukraine: National Security, Censorship or Both?," TalTech Journal of European Studies, Sciendo, vol. 9(3), pages 82-95, September.
    18. Jacques Simon Song & Georges Ngnouwal Eloundou & Fabrice Bitoto Ewolo & Blaise Ondoua Beyene, 2024. "Does Social Media Contribute to Economic Growth?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(2), pages 8349-8389, June.
    19. Saif Ur Rahman & Zhao Shurong & Qasim Jan, 2023. "Social Media and Authoritarian Legacies: the Impact of Military Aligned Social Media Activists (SMAs) on Politics," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 715-737, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Democracy; Information; Facebook; Internet; Social Media;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

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