Abstract

BERIAIN BANARES, Ana; CRISOSTOMO GALVEZ, Raquel  and  CHIVA MOLINA, Ismael-Pascual. Political Communication in Spain: Social Media Impact and Representation of Party Campaigns. Rev. mex. cienc. polít. soc [online]. 2022, vol.67, n.244, pp.335-362.  Epub Apr 17, 2023. ISSN 0185-1918.  https://doi.org/10.22201/fcpys.2448492xe.2022.244.75881.

This article presents a study aimed at determining how Spanish citizens perceive the messages sent to them by political parties during electoral campaigns via their profiles on social networks. By means of a descriptive quantitative approach consisting of a survey conducted through a structured questionnaire aimed at the Spanish population aged 18 and over, it is concluded that they perceive that the parties use their profiles on the social networks Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram during the election campaign basically for self-referencing purposes. The differences perceived on the basis of the variables of sex, age, habitat, number of household members, region and social class are insignificant and do not alter the general framework observed. Thus, it can be asserted that Spaniards perceive the messages published by the parties on social networks just before elections as propaganda content that does not seek to establish a two-way communication channel with them.

Keywords : social networks; political parties; electoral campaign; political participation; quantitative methodology.