From Gathering News to Sharing Views:
Leveraging the Two-Step Flow Theory

The Two-Step Flow Theory suggests that media influences the public indirectly through opinion leaders within their social circles. Who are opinion leaders? They are highly engaged with the news and media and like to share their opinions and understanding with their social circles. Think of opinion leaders as media middleman who filter information, form their own interpretations, and personalize it before sharing it others. Because they are respected and trusted sources within their circles, their opinions can be influential on shaping public opinions and behaviors, often holding more weight than media messaging alone.

With the vast number of news agencies, social media platforms, and content available, it’s not uncommon to find oneself acting as both consumers who gathers news and opinion leaders who shares it.

As a consumer, I gather my news in different ways. Through reading online articles, pursuing people I follow on my social media accounts – specifically LinkedIn, and talking with individuals in various social circles that I belong to. For example, cybersecurity frameworks can be complex and ever changing. To better understand the frameworks and keep up to date with the changes, I rely on individuals I follow on LinkedIn for their opinion and thoughts because I trust their expertise. I may also speak with individuals within different social circles to hear their opinions on framework changes, gathering different perspectives or validating the information from the one I read about online.

Do I always trust or rely on opinion leaders? The answer is no, not always. There have been times when I did not agree with their perspective or felt that they did not fully understand the content they were sharing. In these cases, I go directly to the source, like the framework itself, and read it. I have also consulted with other individuals within my social circles to gather different viewpoints and perspectives.

As a faculty member, I have been an opinion leader in the classroom by sharing information and my viewpoint with students. I do this by presenting well-researched information, sharing my perspective, and encouraging students to use critical thinking to engage in open discussions. This process fosters respect and trust, which allows me to help students form their own opinions. Beyond the classroom, I consider myself an opinion leader in my social circles, especially regarding information technology and cybersecurity. My friends and family trust me to share relevant and accurate information about potential cyberthreats and the latest tech trends. To stay current and a reliable source of information, I actively research news and media, forming my own opinions prior to sharing them with others.