Pew Research Center, Gun Ruling, dominated last weeks social media

Although Supreme Court rulings rarely have been among the top social media topics, last week's decision bolstering the right to bear arms generated strong reaction in the blogosphere -- almost all of it from cheering gun advocates.

For the week of June 28-July 2, more than a quarter (28%) of the news links on blogs were about the ruling, making it the No. 1 subject, according to the New Media Index from the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism.

Last week's Second Amendment ruling limiting cities' and states' ability to prohibit gun ownership split the Supreme Court by a 5-4 margin along conservative-liberal lines. But there was no such divide in the blogosphere where gun rights supporters dominated, applauding the ruling as a victory for both gun owners and the Constitution.......

...Gun control advocates opposing the decision seemed almost completely absent from the online conversation.....

........The strong reaction last week by gun rights supporters exemplifies the grassroots nature of how news stories often gain traction in the blogosphere. Be it gun control, climate change or gay marriage, individuals who care passionately about a subject often come together quickly and strongly online.......