Can we Talk about Race and Racism on Social Media? Evidence from a Feed Experiment

Even though social media discussions on race surged in 2020 in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, racial attitudes remain divided. Exposure to social media content individuals disagree with could potentially promote tolerance, but previous studies have found mixed evidence. Economists Dante Donati and Lena Song will examine how exposure to social media posts supporting racial justice impacts subsequent social media engagement and off-platform behaviors. They will conduct an online field experiment for their study.