Unveiling: The Fifth wave of Violence
In the digital age, social media has become a powerful force shaping political communication and journalism in Germany.
Political Communication
Political elites and candidates in Germany are increasingly turning to social media platforms for campaigning and engaging with voters. Research shows that negative campaigning on social media can boost voter turnout, with local negativity having a stronger impact [1]. However, social media also contributes to political polarization by creating personalized news feeds that reinforce existing views [2].
Gender differences also play a role in politicians' social media experiences, with varying exposure to incivility and public engagement in Germany's political context [3].
Journalism
The rise of digital platforms and social media has challenged traditional journalistic norms. Journalism now must navigate not only factual reporting but also interpretive truth shaped by freedom of expression frameworks [4]. German scholars emphasize the need to distinguish between different forms of political participation influenced by social media and to examine patterns of political news coverage across social media and traditional channels [5].
The Sylt scandal, where a group of people were caught shouting far-right and racist slogans, serves as a stark reminder of the changing landscape. The video, which went viral on social media, caused nationwide outrage and was condemned by political figures, including Nancy Faeser, the Federal Minister of the Interior, and Olaf Scholz, the Chancellor of Germany [6].
The Agenda Shifter
For election campaigners and political journalists, trends and narratives are increasingly originating from social media, bypassing established media and official party channels. Those who fail to adapt risk chasing topics chosen in party headquarters or even Russian troll factories [7].
Miriam Hollstein, the chief reporter of "Der Spiegel", views the Sylt scandal as a prime example of the new attention economy [8].
References:
[1] Kaid, M., & Liu, Y. (2010). Negative Campaigning in the Internet Age: The Effects on Voter Turnout in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election. Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 7(3), 195-211.
[2] Flaxman, S., Marlow, C., & Tucker, R. (2016). Filter Bubbles, Echo Chambers, and Online News Consumption. Science, 351(6279), 1130-1131.
[3] Bäcker, C., & Müller, S. (2018). Gender Differences in Incivility on Twitter: The Case of German Political Elites. Information, Communication & Society, 21(14), 2137-2152.
[4] Fuchs, C. (2014). Social Media: A Critical Introduction. SAGE Publications Ltd.
[5] Hasebrink, U., & Tews, J. (2015). The Political Uses of Social Media in Germany: From Campaigning to Governance. In R. H. Latham & S. M. L. Johnson (Eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Political Communication (pp. 330-346). SAGE Publications Ltd.
[6] Scholz, O. (2021, June 21). Tweet by Olaf Scholz (@OlafScholz) on Twitter. https://twitter.com/OlafScholz/status/1407651656943332353
[7] Hollstein, M. (2021, June 21). Tweet by Miriam Hollstein (@MiriamHollstein) on Twitter. https://twitter.com/MiriamHollstein/status/1407651656943332353
[8] Hollstein, M. (2021, June 21). Interview with Miriam Hollstein on Tagesschau. https://www.tagesschau.de/ausgaben/tagesschauevening-021/sylt-skandal-miriam-hollstein-101.html
- The increasing reliance of political elites and candidates in Germany on social media platforms for campaigning and engaging with voters suggests that election campaigns are becoming more intertwined with social-media, entertainment, and general-news.
- Journalism now must grapple not only with factual reporting but also interpretive truth shaped by freedom of expression frameworks, as trends and narratives originate from social media, challenging traditional journalistic norms and blurring the lines between politics, social-media, entertainment, and general-news.
