Is Social Media News Consumption Good for Science?
In a science communication world increasingly dominated by blogs and other forms of digital and social media, many practitioners are beginning to explore the question of whether the Internet, Facebook, Twitter, and Google search are “good” for science and technology, from the standpoint of public education and attention to science news. Is getting one’s news online associated with attention to science news? What about getting one’s news through specific online platforms such as Twitter or social networking sites such as Facebook? This secondary analysis of Pew’s 2012 Biennial Media Consumption Survey reveals that while getting news through mobile digital technologies is positively related to closer following of science and technology news, not all digital platforms are created equal.