Capitol Pulse Breakdown: Social Media & Smart Phones

If you’ve paid attention to our Capitol Pulse questions in recent months, you’ve probably seen our founder, David, drop that he’s read The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt a few too many times–sick dude, you read! 

But, the questions we’ve asked regarding how staffers use and think about social media and smartphones have been quite illuminating—though maybe not the kind you need blue-light glasses for.

This week’s deep dive into recent Capitol Pulse polling data from Congressional staffers shows that we all have a tricky relationship with our phones, especially when it comes to the social apps we have on them. 

So, what do staffers think about the little black boxes and algorithms that rule our world? Here’s a look…

The First Step Is Admitting You Have a Problem

Here’s the good news: The first step of addiction is admitting you have a problem. With a few outliers, all staffers can agree that social media has a net negative impact on our culture.

When asked “What effect does social media have on society?” the answer was about as bipartisan as it gets:

  • 88% of Democrats and 85% of Republicans said that it makes society worse. 

  • The unlikely optimists? DEM Sr. Policy staff (22% net positive) and GOP under 30 staff (21%). 

  • Meanwhile, only 10% of DEMs under 30 said “net positive”.

As we are about to learn, Democrats are less likely to want to give up social media, but here we see they are more skeptical of its benefits.

So now that most of us can agree that social media is toxic, let’s see if that means staffers would be willing to give it up.

Staffers Divided On Giving Up Social Media

Here’s where a partisan split comes into play. When asked, “Are you willing to give up social media?”

  • 60% of Republicans said yes.

  • 63% of Democrats said nope– Bluesky must have a calming effect!

Among Democrats, Senate staff (80%) and Sr. Policy staff (72%) were the most likely to give up socials– because what’s the point of working in the Senate if you can’t look down on House staff about something? (Kidding… mostly.) 

GOP staffers paint a different picture: 49% of GOP Under 30s and 43% of GOP Comms staff said they’re holding on to their feeds. Burner X accounts included.

When it comes to the sexes, women across both parties are more willing than men to give up social media.

When we asked this question in our newsletter, everyone came out to vote, and the results ended up with an actual 50/50 split. 

Now that we’ve identified who’s willing to go the extra mile to detach from their smartphone’s most toxic traits, let’s look at the real hardos ⬇️…

📵 Dumb Phones Making a Comeback?

We asked staffers, “Putting work aside, would you give up your smartphone for a dumb phone?”

  • Yes → 49% GOP / 33% DEM

  • No → 50% DEM / 39% GOP

  • Unsure → 13%

Breaking it down by party, Republicans (49%) are more likely than Democrats (33%) to go back to a time when Razor flip-phones, Blackberry business phones, and snake on Nokia reigned supreme. 

But, let’s be real: no one’s ditching their smartphone anytime soon—either personal or that fancy work phone you love stacking on the brunch table as a subtle flex. 

And lastly, how do we feel about our future kids having smartphones? Here’s a look…

Protecting the Youths 👶

We asked staffers, “Would you support a ban on social media for minors?” And this is where the numbers get more decisive:

  • Yes →  79% GOP / 60% DEM

  • No → 40% DEM / 21% GOP

Fifteen years into the grand experiment of “social media will make us all more connected,” staffers seem ready to admit it didn’t exactly deliver– we know, undelivered campaign promises are hard to fathom here in D.C. But there’s still hope, and ideally a future where technology strengthens our in-person relationships instead of replacing it– like, say, at our upcoming CNCT event!

🔌 Shameless Plug: CNCT’s Intentions

Yes, the CNCT app is technically a social platform. But unlike the big guys, we’re not in the business of keeping you doomscrolling. Our goal is simple: log in, find what you need (job, events, friends), and get the heck off! 

Have ideas on how we can make your networking experience better on Capitol Hill? Mail us about it, and we’ll see if we can fix it!