Too scared to share? Fear of social sanctions for political
expression on social media

Too scared to share? Fear of social sanctions for political
expression on social media

fear of social sanctions, political expression, news sharing, spiral of silence, social media, social networks

While social media provide opportunities for political expression, many people may be reluctant to share their opinions if they fear personal or
professional repercussions for posting political views. Fear of social sanctions (FOSSs) therefore represents a promising approach to investigate
why people often avoid expressing political opinions online. Using panel survey data collected during the 2020 U.S. election, this study examines
the predictors of FOSSs, as well as its relationship with several forms of online political expression. Results indicate that the ideological diversity
of people’s online networks fosters their FOSSs, which in turn is associated with decreases in several types of online political expression. Thus,
FOSSs may be an important determinant in individuals’ calculations to express political opinions online and may also hinder lower commitment
forms of political engagement.

Brian E. Weeks 1,*, Audrey Halversen1

, German Neubaum

https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmad041

Oxford University Press on behalf of International Communication Association.

22 September 2023

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