Aaron Smith is director of Data Labs at Pew Research Center. Much of his recent research focuses on the impact of technology on workforce and economic issues, Americans’ attitudes towards the sharing and gig economy, and the potential impact of advancements in workforce automation. He has also conducted studies examining the impact of the digital divide and the growing role of mobile devices in Americans’ digital access habits, the importance of technology to special populations such as older adults, and the role of digital platforms in connecting Americans to political and civic information. He has a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Texas at Austin. Smith has testified before Congress and conducts regular briefings and media interviews on the Center’s technology research.
The outbreak has dramatically changed Americans’ lives and relationships over the past year. We asked people to tell us about their experiences – good and bad – in living through this moment in history.
Voting members of the 116th Congress collectively produced more than 2.2 million tweets and Facebook posts in 2019 and 2020.
Democratic lawmakers post more content on Twitter, while the median Republican member now averages more audience engagement than the median Democrat across platforms.
More than half of all tweets sent by members of the U.S. Congress between March 11 and 21 were related to the coronavirus outbreak.
A 56% majority of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents who use Twitter describe their political views as liberal or very liberal.
The findings of this analysis paint a nuanced picture of just how prevalent political speech is among U.S. adults on Twitter.
The ability of governments and law enforcement agencies to monitor the public using facial recognition was once the province of dystopian science fiction. But modern technology is increasingly bringing versions of these scenarios to life.
The media landscape was upended more than a decade ago when the video-sharing site YouTube was launched. The volume and variety of content posted on the site is staggering. The site’s popularity makes it a launchpad for performers, businesses and commentators on every conceivable subject. And like many platforms in the modern digital ecosystem, YouTube […]
Many who use social media say they regularly see false or misleading content, but also view these platforms as offering new avenues for political engagement.
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