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Influence of Social Media on

Global Landscape
Name: Kashish
Class: 11A
Batch: 2024-2025
School: Strawberry Fields High School
Introduction: Role of
social media in politics
The role of social media is as follow:

Direct Engagement with Voters:


Social media allows politicians to communicate directly
with their constituents, bypassing traditional media
gatekeepers (TV, newspapers). Politicians can share
speeches, policy proposals, and personal opinions
instantly with millions of people.
•Real-Time Interaction:
Unlike traditional methods, politicians can respond to
public concerns, address crises, or amplify messages in
real time, shaping the political narrative as events unfold.
•Broad Reach:
Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
have billions of users worldwide, allowing political
messages to reach a broad audience, including
international followers and diaspora communities.
•Visual Communication:
Politicians use photos, memes, videos, and live streams
to build their personal brand, engage supporters, and
make their message more digestible, especially to
younger demographics.
Social Media in Election
Campaigns
Political parties have their social media channels, with employees dedicated
to run them. However, wealthy parties have “IT Cells”, which feed content
into social media round the clock. IT Cells monitor social media trends and
create strategies for the dissemination of their content The 2019 general
election was dubbed the “social media election” due to the unprecedented
use of social media by politicians and political parties in an attempt to directly
reach the public, bypassing the mainstream press. The campaigns of the
incumbent BJP have followed a pattern in which supporters and politicians
alike attach a persona to their online accounts, indicating a direct and
personal connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The persona was that
of a Chaiwala (meaning “tea-seller”) in the 2014 election season, a Chowkidar
(#MainBhiChowkidar; meaning “I am a watchman too”) in 2019, and “Modi ka
parivar” (meaning “I am a member of Modi’s family”) in 2024. This pattern is
consistent with the PM’s direct, one-way messaging with the public on social
media and radio programmes such as Mann Ki Baat
Pal et al analysed a database of 6.9 million tweets, collated from the accounts
of 17,261 politicians across 127 parties in India to find patterns related to the
2019 elections. They found that every major political party was well-invested
in Twitter, which was later renamed X. However, The BJP had the most
effective use of a party central account, and for the most part the BJP
dominated electoral campaigning on the platform. Another noteworthy finding
was that the handles of political figures and parties communicated in English
and a range of Indian languages, indicating the widening of politicians’ reach
Political movements
and social media

• Mobilizing Grassroots Movements:


Social media is a powerful tool for organizing protests,
boycotts, and social movements. Hashtags like
#BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and #FridaysForFuture have
galvanized millions of people worldwide, raising awareness
and pushing for social and political change.
• Citizen Journalism:
Social media allows anyone to share information and
opinions, giving rise to "citizen journalism." During political
events, protests, or crises, ordinary people can document
events in real time, sharing stories that might otherwise be
ignored or underreported by mainstream media.
• Global Reach of Local Movements:
Social media allows local and regional movements to gain
global support. The 2011 Arab Spring protests, for example,
were largely organized and amplified through social media,
with activists using Twitter and Facebook to coordinate
protests and share live updates.
Influence of social media
on public opinion
• Newspapers and news and opinion Web sites, social media, radio, television, e-mail, and blogs
are significant in affirming attitudes and opinions that are already established. The U.S. news
media, having become more partisan in the first two decades of the 21st century, have
focused conservative or liberal segments of the public on certain personalities and issues and
generally reinforced their audience’s preexisting political attitudes.
• Mass media and social media can also affirm latent attitudes and “activate” them, prompting
people to take action. Just before an election, for example, voters who earlier had only a mild
preference for one party or candidate may be inspired by media coverage not only to take the
trouble to vote but perhaps also to contribute money or to help a party organization in some
other way.
• Mass media and social media, to varying extents, play another important role by letting
individuals know what other people think and by giving political leaders large audiences. In this
way the media make it possible for public opinion to encompass large numbers of individuals
and wide geographic areas. It appears, in fact, that in some European countries the growth of
broadcasting, especially television, affected the operation of the parliamentary system. Before
television, national elections were seen largely as contests between a number of candidates or
parties for parliamentary seats. As the electronic media grew more sophisticated
technologically, elections increasingly assumed the appearance of a personal struggle between
the leaders of the principal parties concerned. In the United States, presidential candidates
have come to personify their parties. Once in office, a president can easily appeal to a national
audience over the heads of elected legislative representatives.
• In areas where the mass media are thinly spread or where access to social media is limited, as
in developing countries or in countries where print and electronic media are strictly controlled,
word of mouth can sometimes perform the same functions as the press and broadcasting,
though on a more limited scale. In countries, it is common for those who are literate to read
from newspapers to those who are not or for large numbers of persons to gather around the
Fake news and miss information
• Fake news and misinformation on social media have a profound impact on people politically,
influencing attitudes, behaviors, and even election outcomes. Here’s how they can shape political
landscapes:
• Polarization and Echo Chambers
• Social media algorithms are designed to show users content that aligns with their existing beliefs
and preferences. This can create echo chambers, where users are exposed mostly to information
that reinforces their views. Fake news and misinformation thrive in such environments because
false or sensational stories are often designed to appeal to emotions, rather than facts.
• Impact: This leads to increased polarization, where individuals become more entrenched in their
political ideologies and less willing to consider opposing viewpoints. Over time, this can erode the
willingness to engage in constructive dialogue and compromise
• Mis trust in Institutions
• Misinformation can lead people to lose trust in political institutions, such as the government,
the media, or the electoral system itself. For example, widespread false claims about election
fraud can cause significant portions of the population to question the legitimacy of elections, even
when there’s no evidence to support those claims.
• Impact: This undermines democratic processes by fostering skepticism toward legitimate
sources of authority and information. In some cases, it may lead to voter apathy or
disengagement, as people feel that their votes no longer matter or that the system is inherently
corrupt.
• Fake news and misinformation are often used as tools to manipulate political opinions and
behavior. For example, targeted disinformation campaigns (such as those seen in the 2016 U.S.
election) aim to sway voters by spreading misleading information, usually designed to exploit
divisions and influence decision-making.
• Impact: By shaping perceptions or misrepresenting candidates and policies, disinformation can
sway elections, shift public opinion on key issues, and even ignite political movements. This
manipulation can sometimes create a "herd mentality," where people act in ways they might not
have otherwise, influenced by false narratives.
• Misinformation can play a direct role in determining political outcomes, particularly in close
elections. False stories about candidates or issues can alter voters’ decisions, sometimes in ways
Case study: US
presidential
election 2016
• Facebook was used for political campaigning in
an unprecedented way during the 2016 U.S.
presidential election. This case study scrutinizes
how targeted ads, misinformation campaigns, &
algorithmic biases on Facebook influenced public
opinion and voter behavior. It delves into the
ethical implications of such practices and their
enduring impact on trust in democratic
processes.
• Social media played an important role in shaping
the course of events surrounding the
2016 United States presidential election. It
facilitated greater voter interaction with the
political climate; unlike traditional media, social
media gave people the ability to create,
comment on, and share content related to the
election.[1]
• Many candidates extended their campaigning
efforts onto a variety of social media platforms,
including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
and Snapchat.[2] Depending on the digital
architecture of each platform, candidates would
use a variety of techniques to discredit their
opponent, and gain support. In turn, users could
• Following the election, disclosures of widespread personal data misuse by Facebook
and Cambridge Analytica for political advertising purposes were reported by
The Guardian and The New York Times. In response, Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg
testified in front of Congress, and Facebook was fined $5 billion by the
Federal Trade Commission for privacy violations. A separate investigation into the
Russian interference in the election was also conducted, and concluded with the
observation that Russian intelligence agencies had created fake accounts and spread
misinformation on multiple social media sites in order to influence the election in favor
of the eventual winner Donald Trump. This in turn prompted a debate over
dissemination of fake news over the Internet, with many social media sites adopting
new fact-checking policies for the 2020 election.
It’s impact:
• Each candidate used a combination of social media platforms and
advertising techniques to influence the portrayal of themselves within the
news and general media.[59] These techniques included posting, re-posting,
creating support videos, linking to news articles, and criticizing other
candidates via fact-checking, discrediting, and response.[60] This also
helped them create a unique style of communication with the public and
build electoral coalitions, which identified voters and, in turn, raised
money. As a result, social media ultimately aided in voter mobilization and
electoral impact.[61]
• Social media also became a primary source of news for some
demographics. A study conducted by the Pew Research Center discovered
that 35% of voters between the ages of 18 and 29 used social media as
their primary source of news, making it the most popular news source
among their generation. Social media was overall the second most popular
source of news during the election, with 14% of all voters listing it as their
main source of news.[62][63]
• Additionally, peer pressure was seen as a large factor in some people's
vote. Individuals publicly voicing support for candidates were seen to put
pressure on their friends and family to hold the same opinions, and in
some instances forced others to hold the same views. [64]
• The Guardian compared Internet memes to political cartoons, arguing, "For
the first time in a US election cycle, community-generated memes have
grown to play a significant role in political discourse, similar to the classic
printed cartoon." While an Internet meme is unlikely to destroy a political
career, many memes targeting a candidate might. [42]
• Social media was the largest outlet for misinformation. Throughout the
election, Russian intelligence agencies made use of multiple social media
accounts to disseminate false news, primarily targeted against Democratic
nominee Hillary Clinton. In a testimony in front of the
United States Congress, Facebook estimated that the false news reached
over 126 million voters, and had a significant impact on the electoral
Conclusion
Here are some tips for using social media responsibly and
effectively:
1. Be respectful: Treat others with kindness and respect, and
avoid harassment, cyberbullying, and spreading hate speech.
2. Protect your privacy: Only share personal information with
trusted people, and be careful about sharing sensitive data
publicly.
3. Check your privacy settings regularly, and know how each
platform's settings work.
4. Consider your audience: Research your audience to
understand what type of content they like.
5. Be mindful of what you post: Don't post anything you
wouldn't be comfortable with your family seeing.
6. Manage your feed: Be in control of your feed, and unfollow or
delete accounts that you don't want to see.
Bibliography
How To Use Social Media Effectively For Students

https://www.jbcnschool.edu.in/blog/how-to-use-social-media-effectively-for-students/
The Impact of Social Media on Political Discourse: A Case Study Approach | by Tanzeel Awan | Medium
Facebook Scrutinized Over Its Role In 2016's Presidential Election : NPR

https:/www.npr.org/2017/09/26/553661942/facebook-scrutinized-over-its-role-in-2016s-presidential-election

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