Climate debate remains dominated by established voices despite social media, research finds
When social media arrived on the scene, there were high hopes that they would improve—or even "democratize"—communication about climate change by, for instance, lowering access barriers, creating a more direct channel between science and the public, and giving more voices from civil society a chance to exchange ideas and views on the issue, goals and solutions.
Despite social media's rise, research reveals that established voices still dominate discussions around climate change, according to a study by researchers at the University of Zurich and the University of Münster. Social media platforms such as X, TikTok, YouTube, Weibo, WeChat, Bilibili, and ShareChat were analyzed to assess the impact of these tools on climate change communication.
The study, published in Nature Climate Change, found that while social media initially enabled more people to participate in the conversation, it has largely become a space where politics, government bodies, and news organizations maintain their influence. Environmental activists and climate change skeptics have also gained greater visibility compared to other advocates.
Furthermore, the emergence of alternative platforms has led to a fragmentation of online communities, with users increasingly isolated within homogenous echo chambers. This separation can hinder the development of a shared societal understanding of climate change. The decline of traditional news media and the economic pressures placed on journalism by advertising shifts to platforms like Meta and Google have further weakened the role of climate journalism in disseminating information.
Although social media offers more information than ever before, including high-quality content, it is not reaching those who are less interested in the topic. Users often overestimate their own knowledge about climate change, and the effectiveness of social media in promoting public understanding of climate change varies significantly between platforms, regions, and contexts.
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