In a recent Spotlight Analysis, PRRI’s Diana Orcés looked at the correlation between frequent social media use and holding a negative opinion of President Trump. PRRI data “shows that a majority of social media users (55%) think very unfavorably of Trump, compared to 45% who use social media infrequently and 47% who don’t use social media at all. In addition, Americans who use social media frequently are less likely to strongly approve of the job Trump is doing as president, compared to non-users (13% vs. 20%),” Orcés writes. On Facebook, exposure to political content may soon be easier to cut off. According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, users will soon be able to turn off political ads coming into their feed.

PRRI data from 2019 shows that 55% of Americans believe there are only two genders, including 43% who say they feel strongly about this. Four in ten (40%) Americans believe that there is a range of possible gender identities, including nearly one-quarter (24%) who say they feel strongly about this. On Tuesday, the popular at-home fitness company Peloton announced they would add non-binary options. “We recognize and respect that our Members exist across the gender spectrum. You can now identify as Non-Binary (NB) on your Peloton profile,” the company said in a tweet. Additional PRRI data shows that 73% of Republicans believe that gender is strictly binary, while 52% of Democrats believe there is a range of possible gender identities.

After business owner and Democratic senate candidate Chris Janicek was revealed to have made sexually explicit comments to a female staffer via text message, the Nebraska Democratic Party has asked him to drop out. “Our Democratic Party has no tolerance for sexual harassment,” state Democratic Party Chairwoman Jane Kleeb says. “Our party will not extend resources or any type of support to any candidate that violates our code of conduct and doesn’t treat men and women with the dignity and respect they deserve.” Janicek has said he does not plan to drop out. PRRI data shows that less than three in ten (29%) Nebraskans identify as Democrats. 

For 130 years, Aunt Jemima, face and namesake of a popular syrup brand and pancake mix, has appeared in a variety of media forms. This week, Quaker Oats announced they would retire the Aunt Jemima image, which depicts a Black woman who was originally dressed a minstrel character. “We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype,” Kristin Kroepfl, vice president and chief marketing officer of Quaker Foods North America, explains “As we work to make progress toward racial equality through several initiatives, we also must take a hard look at our portfolio of brands and ensure they reflect our values and meet our consumers’ expectations.”