Media Exposure and Information Seeking as Antecedents: Individual Behavioral Response to Corporate Political Advocacy in the Case of Lyft’s Action Against the Texas Abortion Ban

Using two-wave U.S. survey data, this study investigates the factors influencing an individual’s social media engagement in the context of Lyft’s opposition to the Texas abortion ban and its legal support for drivers. Drawing on the O-S-O-R model, the findings reveal that individual’s media exposure to abortion ban-related news does not consistently predict their social media engagement behaviors. Specifically, information seeking not only positively predicts social media engagement but also significantly mediates the effect of media exposure on social media engagement. These results indicate that information seeking can serve as a link between media use and individuals’ social media engagement in response to corporate political advocacy (CPA). Theoretical and practical implications for promoting citizen’s engagement with CPA are discussed.