How dangerous is digital media for democracy?

New systematic review in Nature Human Behaviour summarizes studies conducted worldwide. The systematic review of studies investigates whether and how digital media impacts citizens' political behavior. Jolanda Obleser - One of the most contentious questions of our time is whether the rapid global uptake of digital media is contributing to a decline in democracy. While discussions on the risks of social media have recently received a great deal of media coverage, tech companies argue that findings are not conclusive. It would be mistaken to condemn social media in general. But they can certainly fuel polarization and populism-especially in established democracies. These are the findings of a team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, the Hertie School in Berlin, and the University of Bristol.