Rise of the Twittizen?The role of Twitter as a social-media platform for citizen

engagement and political deliberation surrounding net neutrality

CM 504 Final PaperFall 2010

Vivian Luu

Research Questions

• What does conversation about net neutrality look like on Twitter?

• Is Twitter an effective tool for creating a public space for citizen engagement and political deliberation?

Scope

• 19,000 tweets, Aug. 1 - Aug. 12• Focus: Aug. 8 announcement of Google-Verizon net

neutrality proposal• Reviewing RT trends through traffic,tweets and

tweeps

Traffic

• Peaks right before and right after Aug. 8• “Buzz” is short-lived, no clearly sustained discussion

Tweets

• @freepress / I just told Google: Don’t be evil. Support #NetNeutrality. You can too: http://freepr.es/bXFB7

• @freepress / just told Washington to stand for me and Obama for #NetNeutrality. You turn. http://bit.ly/4sigrp

• @MoveOn / Google: Say no to VZN to kill #NetNeutrality. Don’t be evil! http://bit.ly/dgxZd

• @CREDOaction / Tell the FCC: It’s up to you not Google & Verizon to regulate the Internet. http://bit.ly/b6Njhc Pls RT.

Analysis

• Rise of an Information elite: Producers of popular content limited to special-interest groups and public figures

• Action without background: Calls for action don’t come with context

• Coding divide: Set format for optimal retweeting

Implications

• New space for advocacy, but lack of diverse voices

• Perpetuation of already-existing thin democracy and limited, ‘surface’ citizen engagement

• Digital Divide during acculturation process: New, digital "oughts" of individualism and citizenship splitting those who possess requisites for "new" participation and those who don't

What's Next?

• Redefining the citizen in context of "netizenship" and new methods of participation

• Cultivation of diverse voices: Twitter as a potential space for citizen engagement and deliberative democracy

 • Roots of influence: Where do

already-existing hubs of influence derive their legitimacy and following?