Written by Sarya Gulec
Social media have become one of the most important ways of conducting politics in modern times. They have created new means of communication, engagement, and mobilization. Hence, they have modified the relationship between politicians and citizens. However, the shift has presented opportunities and challenges constantly evolving.
Social media is particularly useful in affording politicians the capacity to speak directly to the public without passing through traditional media filters. It conveys a sense of proximity and immediacy as leaders can communicate messages themselves without mediation. For example, Donald Trump's use of Twitter has shown how leaders can rally their base and command news agendas by using their accounts. Similarly, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has used Facebook and WhatsApp to engage with his electorate.
This direct engagement empowers citizens with avenues to voice their opinions, mobilize support, and participate in political discourse. The Arab Spring and the #MeToo movement are just two of many movements that have shown social media's role in grassroots activism and amplifying marginalized voices.
Recent research published in the journal Frontiers in Communication underlined that not only does social media provide a channel for politicians to reach out to citizens, but it also fosters political participation by means of feedback mechanisms, such as comments and shares.
In addition to that, social media has become a very powerful channel to mobilize political participation. For instance, through such networks, campaigns can arrange events and raise funds to mobilize support. Probably the best-known example is the campaign of Barack Obama in the presidential race in 2008 when social media became key in reaching out to young voters and empowering grassroots organizations.
Social media have also considerably impacted political donations. Some studies indicate that on occasions when politicians use social media channels such as Twitter, the increases in campaign donations tend to be significantly higher in areas where social media reach is more prominent. Such a result is particularly pronounced for newer politicians; from this, one might realize that social media make entry barriers lower in politics when the costs of disseminating their information decline.
Offsetting these positives, however, are significant challenges that social media creates. The speed at which misinformation spreads, and echo chambers form, can feed into political polarization. The algorithms that drive the most sensationalist content may help spread misinformation and damage informed political discussion. According to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, although people across many countries see social media as beneficial for democracy, they also have widespread concerns about its role in spreading false information and dividing people.
In addition, the rise of short-form video platforms such as TikTok has changed how people consume news, with amusement now taking precedence over in-depth reporting. This brings new concerns about simplifying important political issues and encourages the rise of charismatic leaders who don't participate in meaningful policy discussions.
According to an article in the Financial Times, the TikTok era challenges traditional media establishments and influences political communication.
The duality of social media in politics raises debates on regulation and ethical use. Different countries have used various ways of controlling the effect of social media on politics. For instance, Germany has the Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG), which tries to fight hate speech online by forcing platforms to take down illegal content as soon as possible. In contrast, the United States grapples with balancing free speech rights against the need to curb misinformation.
Social media companies themselves moderate content and manage state-linked information operations. A study into how Twitter and Meta handled such operations showed that governance indicators and international political alignments created variances in their approach to moderation policies.
As the time passes, social media continues to evolve with each changing technology. Artificial intelligence and the metaverse are just some of the emerging technologies that create new opportunities and challenges in political engagement. From the possibility of AI-created content, including deepfakes, there is concern about the authenticity of political communications. The immersive nature of the metaverse could even change how citizens interact with political entities and engage with democratic processes.
To navigate the effects of social media, it's crucial to educate the citizens to ıdentify misinformation. Simultaneously, holding platforms accountable for content moderation practices and making their algorithms more transparent are steps that need to be taken to mitigate the negative effects of social media on politics.
.
References:
Boulianne, S. (2022). Social media influence on politicians' and citizens' relationship. Frontiers in Communication. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/communication/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2022.955493/full
Pew Research Center. (2022). Social media is seen as mostly good for democracy across many nations, but the U.S. is a major outlier. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2022/12/06/social-media-seen-as-mostly-good-for-democracy-across-many-nations-but-u-s-is-a-major-outlier/
Turf, M., & Smith, J. (2024). Why the TikTok era spells trouble for the establishment. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/2262f82e-fb65-445b-b99c-b039c1b32ce9
Liu, J., & Wang, R. (2024). Politics and propaganda on social media: How Twitter and Meta moderate state-linked information operations. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.02095
Davis, A. (2020). Social media and political contributions: The impact of new technology on political competition. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.02924
Comments