postings generally follows the rules of conversation: Religion and politics are a no-no, so keep to neutral topics.  However, a new survey from the Pew Internet & American Life Project makes a case that your political status update may actually change some minds, particularly if the reader is liberal. The researcher surveyed 2,253 U.S. adults from Jan. 20 to Feb. 19 and found that Democrats are more likely than Republicans and independents to get their news from social media. Such liberal-leaning citizens were also apt to go on social networks to discuss politics and befriend others with similar beliefs, according to the survey.  Such usage may account for another unique characteristic of liberals — they are much more likely to be swayed by chatter on social media. While just 16% of overall users say that’s the case, 24% of self-described liberals say their use of social media has prompted them to change their mind on a political issue.  However, you may still want to reconsider giving your full-throated political support on Facebook or Twitter: The survey also found that 18% of respondents say they have unfriended, blocked or hidden someone in their network who talked about politics too much.  For brands, however, discussing politics on social media appears to be a minefield. Chick-fil-A and Papa John’s both suffered a backlash (and some support) on social media for taking conservative stances on same-sex marriage and Obamacare, respectively. Oreo also sowed dissent among its fans with a June post supporting same-sex marriage.  What do you think? Has a political post on Facebook ever changed your mind on a key issue? Sound off in the comments.  Image courtesy of Flickr, sylvar
A new survey finds liberals are more apt to change their minds because of social media chatter than their GOP and independent counterparts.