Studying government communication during times of political turbulence and polarization: Challenges and barriers

The use of social media has become a crucial aspect of government communication in contemporary politics. Studying government communication in times of crisis and political uncertainty presents many challenges for researchers studying different government ministries. However, in countries where the Prime Minister's Office exists, this entity experiences the most complex upheavals due to frequent changes in agenda during periods of polarization and political unrest. This paper proposes a comparative study of social media use by three Israeli prime ministers during a period of under three years (2020-2022). The study will analyze the use of social media by Benjamin Netanyahu (2020), Naftali Bennett (2021), and Yair Lapid (2022), who all held the position of prime minister during this period. The study argues that the interchanging prime minister's office and its digital entity impose unique problems due to the different approaches each leader takes in using it as a platform for different media types and promoting different agendas. By analyzing 1,279 social media posts obtained using CrowdTangle, the study will examine the three prime ministers' content, style, and strategy. The research questions that guide this study include: (a) How do these three leaders differ in their use of social media for political communication? (b) What are the similarities and differences in their communication strategies, content, and style? The findings of this study will shed light on the challenges of government communication in turbulent political contexts and the role of formal and official social media accounts in shaping public opinion. It will contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of political communication in Israel and beyond and provide insights for policymakers and political leaders on navigating the challenges of social media use in official government communication.