Habermasian analysis of reports on Presidential tweets influencing politics in the USA

Abstract

Over the last decade, there has been rapid growth in instant messaging platforms, e.g. WhatsApp, Twitter and Instagram. Academic research on the use of instant messaging platforms is growing, but few studies have looked at the influence instant messaging could have on politics and the impact on world peace. Drawing on the Theory of Communication Action, this paper interrogated the discourses of using Twitter in the context of the USA. Media reports and tweets were analysed using validity claims to check communication distortions or misinformation that could impair the decision-making of policymakers and the public. The American President used Twitter to communicate potentially dangerous messages to American society. It was interesting to note that Twitter decided to fact-check tweets in response to the call from the community at large to have the account shut down.