Polls Apart

Jennifer Daniel

The Twitterati often respond to news events differently from the broader public in the U.S., according to a Pew Research Center study.

Public reaction to Obama’s second inaugural address was more positive than the buzz on Twitter

Pew Polls

48% Positive

22% Negative

29% Neither

Twitter

13% Positive

21% Negative

65% Neutral

In polls, 33 percent approved when a federal appeals court in February 2012 struck down California’s gay marriage ban; 46 percent of tweets backed the ruling

Pew Polls

33% Positive

44% Negative

15% Neutral

Twitter

46% Positive

8% Negative

46% Neutral

DATA: PEW RESEARCH CENTER; NOTE: PERCENTAGES DON’T NECESSARILY AD UP TO 100