This study investigates how online social networks affect political tolerance in post-coup Egypt. Analyzing real-time tweet data across elite and non-elite networks, we find an unexpected relationship: greater ideological diversity on Twitter is associated with lower levels of political intolerance. This correlation persists even after longer exposure to diverse feeds over time.
Our research delves into the mechanisms behind this finding, suggesting that social norms within these online networks shape users' willingness to publicly express intolerant views. Bullet points highlight our key insights:
This study significantly contributes to the literature on political tolerance by offering fresh perspectives from an authoritarian context where polarization is pronounced. It provides crucial nuance to ongoing debates about online echo chambers, showing that diverse exposure may foster greater openness in politically polarized environments.
| Tweeting Beyond Tahrir: Ideological Diversity and Political Intolerance in Egyptian Twitter Networks was authored by Alexandra Siegel, Jonathan Nagler, Richard Bonneau and Joshua Tucker. It was published by Princeton in World Pol. in 2021. |
