Scottish independence: What are voters most concerned about (on social media)?

With polls suggesting the Scottish independence referendum is still too close to call, we are looking to social media to see if it can tell us how voters are leaning and what is getting people talking. 

 

According to data from analytics firm Brandwatch, millions of people have been taking to Twitter to find out what the pros and cons of being independent could be, with Glasgow the most vocal city on the referendum, followed by Edinburgh. 

 

If you are in Scotland – and therefore actually have a vote – the main concern has been North Sea Oil and Gas Reserves, which has accounted for 49 per cent of the discussion. 

 

The economy has also been an important talking point – a third of Scots have mentioned it in the last fortnight – but English twitterers found it more important overall, taking up 41 per cent of their social chat. 

 

Scots were also less concerned about the impact independence will have on splitting from international organisations such as Nato and the EU, the data suggests. Nuclear disarmament and wars have concerned both countries equally. 

 

Meanwhile those tweeting from Northern Ireland and Wales appear “virtually unconcerned” by the referendum.  

 

If you were looking to social media to answer the question of which side will win the referendum, at the moment it seems as difficult to call as the public vote – though it is tipping in favour of Yes. 

 

Positive tweets have accounted for 54 per cent of “emotive” mentions on Twitter, while 46 per cent were negative. 

 

Here is the data broken down: