Political communication revitalized? Experiences from MyLabourParty

Findings from the research project NETworked Power

Transforming Audiences 3. Online & Mobile Media, Everyday Creativity and DIY Culture

London, University of Westminster, September 1-2, 2011

Marika Lüders, Research Scientist at SINTEF ICTAsbjørn Følstad, Research Scientist at SINTEF ICT

Political communication revitalized?Political communication revitalized?

To what extent do citizens’, local party members’ and politicians’ expectations and experiences with political communication in social media [MyLabourParty] concur?

Empirical data:

1. Interviews with 15 politicians (MPs and local politicians).

2. Survey with open-ended questions to 90 respondents who had all participated in political discussions at MyLabourParty.

3. Interviews with 11 local party-members in three different municipalities.

Findings

From interviews with politicians and survey with respondents/citizens:

The virtuous dialogue?

Respondents (citizens) expect MyLabourParty and social media to reduce the distance between politicians and citizens, allowing citizens to participate in political discussions.

It’s inspiring to participate in discussions where the leaders of the party also participate. Like, if I write a letter to the editor in a newspaper, it will probably not be read by the leadership, but here you get that opportunity. This makes it more interesting to participate (respondent).

The virtuous dialogue?

Respondents (citizens) are typically disappointed with lack of participation from politicians, lack of replies to comments.

Also experience that controversies and critical comments are not dealt with in a constructive way.

The virtuous dialogue?

Politicians also expect MyLabourParty to be democratizing in a very Habermasian manner, emphasizing the importance of good quality political discussions that include citizens.

The virtuous dialogue?

Politicians find it difficult to participate as much as they know is expected.

They are also sometimes disappointed with lack of quality in discussions.

Quite a few of those who comment are, maybe people we don’t really want comments from. Not because they criticize us, but because they do it in a way that we consider editing or censoring necessary. But I don’t know how we can get the right people to participate. It must be by being visible (politician).

Expecations vs. experiences

Expectations dominating discourse about “participatory social media”

Experiences (citizens) Where are the politicians? Listen to us.

Experiences (politicians) Admit poor participation. Disappointed with quality.

Findings

From the interviews with 11 local party-members:

MyLabourParty as a source of information

MyLabourParty local community sites are typically not characterized by a large number of comments.

Local sites used by local party administratives to share information and re-publish content from local and regional newspapers.

MyLabourParty as a source of information

The local party-members we interviwed perceive MyLabourParty basically to be an information channel and not so much as “social media”.

They experience little incentives to participate.But, what would make them participate more?

How to increase local online participation?

1. Posts do not really invite readers to participate, and hot/controversal topics almost appear to be avoided.

2. The treshold for commenting is too high, with perceived expecations that comments need to ”fit in” politically.

How to increase local participation?

3. Discussions take place at other sites.4. Uncertainty as to where one should

participate.5. Uncertainty wrt. open and restricted access.

Conclusion

First of all, community-sites such as MyLabour Party has indeed changed political communication.

However, there are clearly a number of challenges:

Conclusion

1. Social media expected to be near-symmetrical, but experienced as asymmetrical.

2. Expecations wrt. quality of discussions are often too high.

3. Social media as information channels often undervalued. Focus on good quality (editorial) content is key (also for increasing participation).

Conclusion

4. Barriers preventing participation can be significant, and cannot be solved technologically.

5. Challenges wrt. digital divides are still very relevant.

Thank you!

THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE NORWEGIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL