SOCIAL MEDIA AS A CATALYST FOR ONLINE POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AMONG YOUNG ADULTS

Abstract

This study examines how Pakistani young adults, a group that is becoming more and more accustomed to digital communication, use social media and how it affects their online political engagement. The research, which is based on the theories of uses and gratification and media system dependency, examines how different facets of social media engagement, such as usage patterns, motivations, political discourse, and sharing of traditional media content, influence civic behaviour in virtual environments. A structured questionnaire was given to 500 respondents, ages 18 to 34, as part of a quantitative research design. Active social media use, usage frequency, political debates, and motivational variables are all strongly linked to higher levels of online political participation, according to data analysed using Pearson correlation and ANOVA. Political participation was also positively correlated with social media sharing of content from traditional media. Passive social media use, on the other hand, had no discernible effect. Differences in age and gender were also noted, with older youth (ages 34+ and 22–25) and males showing higher levels of online political activity. The results underscore how digital media activity and civic involvement are intricately linked, highlighting the significance of intentional and interactive media use. According to the study's findings, youth political participation can be effectively facilitated by social media if users transition from passive consumption to active participation.