Opinion Leaders: A study of Cross-Border Opinion Leadership on Instagram

Abstract

The aim for this master thesis is to examine if and how cross-border opinion leadership exists in social media outlets on topics of political matters. Current research is conflicted whether such general leaders exist, who they are and how they communicate. Social media influencers as political opinion leaders and everyday political talk, especially on conventionally non-political arenas, are phenomena yet to be explored. The study uses quantitative methods, assessing contents of two popular Norwegian influencers on Instagram based on four selection periods. Findings suggest that mainstream influencers also can be political opinion leaders, and that cross-border opinion leadership exists in the new media system. In addition, personal touch to content caption increases engagement in political posts. Social media influencers as political opinion leaders may impact the democracy. It can weaken it by creating echo-chambers, facilitating the spread of fake-news and/or creating isolation. On the other hand, they may encourage audiences who earlier in mass-media logic were passive, in becoming active citizens and contributors to societies.