#AnalyzingData: Which is the continent where Twitter’s most influential world leaders are?

It is a tricky question, I must say, as it is a social network created and controlled by those who systematize the hegemonic dominance of communications. It is safe to believe that, among those most-favored leaders, those labeling themselves as the owners of the world would be among the privileged ones.

The truth is that by the end of last year, the global communication agency BCW released its 2022 update of Twiplomacy, which shows the active most influential world leaders in Twitter through a “ranking” where the number of followers and the level of commitment of people with every post of the Twitterer are evaluated. Although among the top-20 Heads of States and Governments in the list are some expected names; namely, that of the U.S. (2nd place), Canada (8th), France (12th), Spain (17th), United Kingdom (19th), there are some very interesting surprises if we take into consideration the number of countries represented by continents.

America is, to widespread astonishment, the right answer to the question raised by the title of this publication. To the U.S. and Canada, leaders from Colombia, Brazil, and Venezuela join the list (4th, 5th, and 6th, respectively); El Salvador and Chile (9th and 10th); Mexico, Cuba, and Argentina (14th, 15th, and 16th), while Ecuador completes the list, totaling 11 nations. A first look at this result shows that most of the leaders of these countries stand by a project of progressive, left-winged government, which speaks about the importance given by them to the communication through this social network. Another relevant aspect is that hegemony of the region shifts to nations with greater development of infocommunications, technology, and leadership in the international geopolitics.

Special recognition deserves our President, as member of that list. Comrade Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez is among the heads of states with fewer number of followers, and yet he is in the top-20, which shows high performance in both parameters: followers and interactions.

Europe boasts 5 leaders, Turkiye (3rd) and Ukraine (7th) join the list. In both cases it is safe to say that their heads of states are there due to their leadership especially in international events with high political intricacies, regardless of their ideological stance. On this occasion, Volodymyr Zelensky has gone up in the list, favored by the military conflict with Moscow.

Asia’s greatest merit lies in having one of its heads of state topping that list. India starts 2023 as the nation with greatest population in the world, but has also the leader with better managed Twitter profile. Indonesia is also part of a list where the absence of leaders from China, Japan, and South Korea is noteworthy, which are nations leaders worldwide in the use of social networks. However, these are nations that foster autonomous social networks, guaranteeing the so-called “tech sovereignty.” In the case of China, this nation has strong restriction to the use of Twitter. Anyway, the study to know better why leaders of those nations privileged other social networks is another issue and need to be deeply analyzed, especially to identify competence regarding the blue bird.

Finally, Kenya (13th) and South Africa (18th), represent a continent that aims to gain spaces. Not surprisingly, several analysts identify Africa as the region with the greatest growth in infocommunications in the coming years.

The ranking that we have just tried to break down cannot be seen as the simple enlistment of the leaders with the best work on Twitter, it is also an expression of those who understand the role that corresponds to social networks in high-level political communication.

And we will continue analyzing data, trends, and surveys in this social network that may be of your interest. We will continue #AnalyzingData for you.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff