Is social media good for democracy? The answer depends on whom you ask. In richer countries such as the US and Western European states, it is increasingly seen as a threat to democratic life. In poorer nations such as Kenya and Nigeria, however, social media provides an important platform for the free expression of views and for holding leaders to account.
This contrast is evident in an October 2026 Pew Research Center survey conducted across 37 countries, in which most respondents (55 per cent) said social media was good for democracy, compared with 35 per cent who said it was bad. In Kenya, 75 per cent said it was good, while 24 per cent said it was bad. Only Nigeria (80 per cent), Thailand (77 per cent), and Singapore (77 per cent) were more positive.
