Seconds after George Zimmerman was pronounced not guilty of murdering Trayvon Martin, people took to Twitter to spread the news and express their feelings.

The Pew Research Center released a study Wednesday analyzing five million trial-related tweets that were published in the first 26 hours of the verdict, which nearly matches the number of tweets sent over the entire course of the 33-day trial. Of those tweets, 31 percent expressed anger toward the verdict, while 7 percent of tweets supported the verdict.

People are increasingly turning to social media to comment on current events and global issues, said William Ward, social media professor in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.  Americans can exercise their constitutional right to peacefully assemble by expressing their opinions on such platforms, he said.

“In the past, the only way to express your opinions was to go out and protest,” he said.  “Social media’s one way to do that, to feel like a part of something bigger.”

But few cases spark the social media reaction that the Zimmerman trial did. It can be hard to predict which cases will “bubble up” on social media, Ward said.  Competing events may overshadow an issue, while a comment from a celebrity may bring it to the foreground.

Current events with images attached to them have an advantage on social media, Ward said. Photos, videos, or even imagery, such as the characterization of a teenager in a hoodie carrying skittles, can evoke a popular reaction, he said.

Stories with strong emotional hooks and narrative elements also gain more attention on social media, he said.

Social media coverage of current events has certain benefits, Ward said.  When current events spark outpourings on social media networks, as the Zimmerman trial did, people can become more aware of current events, be exposed to new views, and be inspired to ask questions, he said.

But these platforms can also be a channel for rumors, misinformation and clutter, Ward said. Journalists must take on the challenge of debunking rumors and providing correct information as quickly as possible on social networks like Twitter, he said.

To reap the benefits of an event’s coverage on social networks, social media users should broaden their circles, Ward said. People should also avoid following only those with similar views because it could result in a “filter bubble,” where users don’t see a balance in opinions, Ward said.

He added those who follow only friends, family and coworkers with similar views could end up with a warped perception and miss key information and perspectives.

“We weren’t on the jury, we don’t know all the facts,” Ward said. “We just know what we heard.”

Published on July 18, 2013 at 4:39 pm

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