EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA POLITICAL MEMES ON THE ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS OF YOUNG VOTERS IN LAHORE

Abstract

In the dynamic landscape of modern politics, the influence of social media and the captivating world of political memes on the attitudes of young voters cannot be overlooked. This study was conducted to understand the effects of social media political memes on the attitude and beliefs of young voters. The research particularly targeted the young voters of Lahore in this study, that includes university going students. The survey has been conducted using a quantitative approach with a survey research design to achieve the desired goal. The survey questionnaire was distributed amongst the students of three prominent universities of Lahore that belonged to different disciplines. A simple random technique was used to select the sample of respondents aged 18-24 years old. The results revealed that the political memes are found to influence both the political attitudes and decision-making processes of young voters during elections. Moreover, specific types of memes, such as satire, are identified as effective tools in engaging young voters in political discourse. The study highlights the substantial role of social media platforms, particularly Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as influential sources of political memes. Overall, the findings suggest that social media political memes play a crucial role in shaping the political perspectives and behaviors of the young voters. The research contributes valuable insights into the profound impact of social media political memes on the attitudes and beliefs of young voters in Lahore.