African Americans, Hispanics More Likely to Engage With Causes Online, Study Finds

Based on a 2010 survey of two thousand Americans age 18 and over, the study (4 pages, PDF), found that 30 percent of African Americans and 39 percent of Hispanics feel they are more likely to support a cause or social issue online than off, compared to 24 percent of Caucasians. When it comes to spreading information about a cause or social issue, the survey found that 58 percent of African Americans and 51 percent of Hispanics are more likely to do so through online social networks, compared to 34 percent of Caucasians.

While traditional media and word-of-mouth remain the primary ways in which Americans learn about causes, the survey found that African Americans and Hispanics are more likely than Caucasians to use social media as an additional source of information as well as to engage with causes by joining a group on Facebook or posting a cause's logo to their online profile.

In addition, the study found that when it comes to social media-induced "cause fatigue," Caucasians are more likely to feel that cause-related e-mails sometimes feel like spam (76 percent, compared to 66 percent and 69 percent of African Americans and Hispanics, respectively), while Hispanics are more likely to believe that everybody "likes" causes on Facebook and it doesn't really mean anything. The survey also found that while 48 percent of Caucasians and 51 percent of Hispanics agree they get too many e-mails from the causes or charities they support, only 33 percent of African Americans feel that way.

Overall, survey respondents agreed that everyone can make a difference by supporting a cause or causes. However, the study found that African Americans and Hispanics feel more strongly that it's important for their family to be involved in a cause (55 percent of Hispanics and 54 percent of African Americans, compared to 46 percent of Caucasians) and are more likely to be involved in key issues such as diabetes, domestic violence, bullying, childhood obesity, Haiti earthquake relief and recovery efforts, and HIV/AIDS.

“Social Media Plays Greater Role in Cause Engagement for African Americans and Hispanics.” Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies Press Release 5/31/11.