Outside the Bubble: Social Media and Political Participation in Western Democracies

Much time has been spent over the past decade debating whether social media contribute to democracy. Drawing on an original study of internet users across nine Western democracies, Outside the Bubble offers an unprecedented look at the effects of social media on democratic participation.

This book argues that social media do indeed increase political participation in both online and face-to-face activities—and that they expand political equality across Western democracies. In fact, Cristian...