RAND Social Media and Politics Study

The RAND social media and politics study is designed to assess differences between U.S. Twitter users and the general U.S. population. Quantifying such differences is crucial to understanding the degree to which large volumes of tweets can be used as a valid gauge of public opinion on topics such as politics. The study is not open to all Twitter users—eligibility of users is determined on the basis of study criteria.

Eligible users must

  • report a location in the United States in their Twitter profile
  • produce a high volume of tweets
  • not represent an organization or exhibit bot-like behavior.

If you have been invited to participate, we will ask you to take a short survey which will collect information on your demographics, political beliefs, and social and news media habits. We will then analyze your publicly available tweets to assess the degree to which the information you provided on the survey could have been inferred from the tweets. If successful, the project will allow shifts in public opinion to be observed in real time (without the need to conduct large-scale polls).

Participating Twitter users will be awarded a $15 Amazon gift card for completing our survey.

If you have been asked to participate, take the survey here

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why have you chosen us/me? Who else is participating in this study?

    We are seeking to survey Twitter users living in the United States aged 18 or older. Approximately 3000 people will participate in the study.

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  • Who is conducting this study?

    RAND, an international research organization that conducts research for national governments, foundations, and non-profit organizations, is conducting this study.

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  • What if I start participating in this study and then decide I don’t want to continue? Can I decide to stop at any time?

    Yes, you may change your mind at any time. Participation in this study is completely voluntary. You can quit the survey at any time.

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  • What if I do not feel comfortable with answering certain questions? Do I have to answer everything?

    Your responses are voluntary, as is your participation. You may choose not to answer any of the questions.

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  • What will you do with the results?

    The results of the survey will be analyzed and put in research reports and scientific publications. The results will be used to better understand the demographic characteristics and political leanings of social media users. Survey respondents will not be identified in any report. All reporting of survey data will be done of the group of participants as a whole.

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  • What data do you keep?

    Once the research is complete, we will keep your survey responses as well as demographic proxies developed using information available in your Twitter profile, but we will destroy the connection between your survey responses and your personally identifiable information (email address and Twitter handle).

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  • How will my data be stored?

    Your survey responses will not be linked to personally identifiable information, such as your email address or Twitter handle. Responses will be stored using a randomly-assigned number that ensures the survey responses are not directly connected to the individual respondent. The file that links your email address and Twitter handle to your random ID number are then stored in separate, password-protected files. These files will be destroyed after the survey is complete.

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  • Will I be able to be identified?

    The survey is confidential, meaning that your survey responses will never be linked to your Twitter handle. As noted above, when a completed survey is received, it is given a randomly-assigned ID number that ensures that the survey responses are not directly connected to the Twitter handle used to respond to the survey. You will not be able to be identified based on any of your survey responses. Once you have completed the survey, we will ask for your email address so that we can send you the Amazon gift card. This information will never be linked to any other information collected (your survey responses or Twitter handle) and will be deleted once the data collection for the study is complete.

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  • Whom can I contact if I have a question?

    If you have any additional questions, you are welcome to email TwitterSurvey@rand.org.

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