Nostalgia on Facebook could influence how we vote

Robin Ekelund, historian and senior lecturer, has investigated Facebook groups that attract a history-interested public around themes such as hometowns or a particular period of history. He describes the groups as a “river of memories”.

The most positive, nostalgic memories that make one feel good and which others have ‘liked’ are highlighted.

Robin Ekelund

“What I found was a lot of memory fragments rather than discussions which were more in-depth or reflective. In order for something to make an impact, a photo is needed, and the text usually states the year it was taken and what the picture represents,” says Ekelund, adding:

“The response is also often short; people give the photo a ‘like’ and write such things as ‘I remember that’ or ‘I've been there’.”

Facebook automatically highlights users’ memories, such as anniversaries, when a person seemed happy. It's in the algorithms, says Ekelund.

“These groups have the same function. The most positive, nostalgic memories that make one feel good and which others have ‘liked’ are highlighted. In this way, a simplified picture of the past is created. A kind of bittersweet longing for the past.”

This, in turn, can affect how we relate to the present and the future.

“The nostalgia group might show a certain picture of what it was like in the past. Making the experience of today feel complex and the past seem simpler, safer, and pleasant. It can make us look back, not forward. If you take it to the extreme, it can play a role in how we might interact with others, and how you vote.”

There is also more knowledge-hungry content in the groups; longer text posts under which longer comments are made, thus leading to deeper discussions. But such posts are significantly fewer and disappear quickly among the shorter posts that create fascination and nostalgia.

“In a group about a particular city, all 5,000 members can like a photograph from the 1950s with a view of the church tower and the sunset and a very short text. The same image with a longer text does not get nearly as many thumbs up or hearts.

Facebook's format affects the groups; with short posts and images a lot happens simultaneously in the feed and the reader does not have to press ‘See more’ to read the entire text. Short posts that can be read straight away are therefore easier to like, followers don't have to think about whether there is something hidden further down that they don't want to like. The algorithms then reward popular posts.
However, even short posts need a “wow factor” for others to like and comment.

“A picture of a user’s grandfather without a year will not attract much attention, but a cafe in a town square sets the emotions in motion.”

History is often a subject that requires reading. On Facebook, however, it is easier to focus on history that deals with the 20th Century, from which there are more images available.

“If you want to be active in a group, it is not enough to sit at the computer. The members collect old postcards, go to archives, second-hand stores and various memorials to have pictures to publish.”