Tory MPs beat Liberals, NDP on online engagement, study finds

The opening page of X is displayed on a computer and phone in Sydney, Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Rick Rycroft

OTTAWA — A new study from McGill University has found Conservative MPs far outpace their Liberal and NDP counterparts in online engagement.

In 2024, online posts from federal Conservative MPs garnered 61 per cent more engagement—likes, shares and comments—than both Liberal and NDP MPs combined.

The report says part of what’s driving that is that Conservative voices are being amplified on X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, a key ally of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The report from McGill’s Media Ecosystem Observatory found engagement with Conservative politicians on X increased 52 per cent since Musk took over the platform, previously known as Twitter.

It looked at online posts from all members of Parliament on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and TikTok between January 2022 and November 2024.

Aengus Bridgman, director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory, says the amplification of right-wing voices on X “really kicked in” in 2024.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2024.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press