How informed are messaging app users about politics? A linkage of messaging app use and political knowledge and participation.

•We study the role of messaging apps in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.•Messaging app use for news is negatively related to factual political knowledge.•Messaging app use for news is positively related to miscalibration of knowledge.•Messaging app use for news is positively related to political participation.•Miscalibration of knowledge is positively related to political participation.