Social media influences our political behaviour and puts pressure on our democracies

The democratic foundations of our societies are under pressure from the influence that social media has on our political opinions and our behaviours, according to a new JRC report. 48% of Europeans use social media every day or almost every day. As well as being helpful tools to stay informed, be entertained, shop and stay close to our friends , these platforms have revolutionised the way we experience politics, by engaging more citizens in the political process and enabling minority voices to be heard. But these platforms also allow polarising messages and unreliable information to be spread easily. This can limit our perspectives and hamper our ability to make informed political decisions. As the report authors find, this has a dangerous impact on our democratic societies. Read the full report.