SOCIAL MEDIA’S INFLUENCE ON THE YOUTH’S POLITICAL VIEWS

Social Media’s Influence

On The Youth’s Political Views

Sanjana Shah, staff writer

Based on a report conducted by Common Sense Media, teenagers in the United States will spend an estimated five to seven hours a day on social media, which equates to one and a half of their childhood years scrolling apps such as Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. Among the many impacts social media has on a child’s psychological well being, one of the most profound is the effect it can have on influencing an individual’s way of thinking. For a generation born in the aftermath of 9/11, shaped by the economic recession of 2008, and most recently plagued by the pandemic, social media has played a large role in influencing youth’s views on politics. In recent years, social media has become an increasingly important source of political news for younger generations. Nowadays, young people resort to finding news on their own whereas in past generations they would depend on their parents to read newspapers and watch the nightly news to stay informed. This form of political socialization, or the process by which one gets their ideas about politics and government, is becoming more and more dependent on social media. According to the Online Media and Global Communication Journal, “social media can build new relationships between political actors and young adults, enable social interaction about political topics, connect people” and “enhance political opinion expression.” The study also showed a positive correlation between the use of social media and various forms of political engagement, such as an increase in protesting among youth. However, with social media comes the likelihood of younger people being exposed to misinformation that can rapidly circulate on the internet. Propaganda and fake news is likely to appeal to the emotions of younger users who are likely less knowledgeable than their adult counterparts. Teens may not fact-check the content they receive resulting in more spread of misinformation. Another consideration is the impact social media poses on youth voting behavior. This is because voting behavior is directly influenced by a politician’s posts, tweets, and overall Internet activity, especially since young voters tend to look online first before making a voting decision. Consequently, it was found that accessing political content on social media increased the likelihood that someone voted in the 2016 election. One Pew Study research found that people in their teens were 9.3% to 16.5% more likely to vote after viewing political content online. Not only will politicians use social media to connect with voters, but young voters will also use social media to learn and encourage others to vote for particular candidates. In recent years, social media has led to a booming era of creativity, knowledge, and revolution. However, we must be aware of both the positive and negative impacts social media can have on the political views of our youth.