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broad awareness social media users have of their networks might make them more hesitant to speak up because they are especially tuned into the opinions of those around them.

The typical Facebook user—someone who logs onto the site a few times per day—is half as likely to be willing to have a discussion about the Snowden-NSA issues at a physical public meeting as a non-Facebook user.

Previous research has shown that when people decide whether to speak out about an issue, they rely on reference groups—friendships and community ties—to weigh their opinion relative to their peers.

Those who do not feel that their Facebook friends or Twitter followers agree with their opinion are more likely to self-censor their views on the Snowden-NSA story in many circumstances—in social media and in face-to-face encounters.

it is common for social media users to be mistaken about their friends’ beliefs and to be surprised once they discover their friends’ actual views via social media.

Some people may prefer not to share their views on social media because their posts persist and can be found later—perhaps by prospective employers or others with high status.

the social and political climate in which people share opinions depends on several other things:

Their confidence in how much they know.

The intensity of their opinions.

Their level of interest.

social media was not a common source of news for most Americans. Traditional broadcast news sources were by far the most common sources

his study focuses on one specific public affairs issue that was of interest to most Americans: the Snowden-NSA revelations. It is not an exhaustive review of all public policy issues and the way they are discussed in social media.