The Political Power of Social Media Revisited

Since the US elections in 2008 the close connection between Social Media and political communication has been brought to the fore. The effective role that Social Media has been made to play once again in the 2012 US elections and its conscious or unconscious replication in the 2014 Indian elections reaffirmed its significance in contemporary political communication. Scholars have confirmed that political candidates are increasingly turning to Social Network Sites (SNS) to persuade voters and that these sites have become prominent sources of political information. Political Communication as a field of study has been about the role of communication in the political process. This paper would like to focus entirely on Social Media as a tool in the political process. Political communication has its beginnings during and between the World Wars. There are various types of political communication and political media. Among the political media the Social Media seems to be the most widely used in contemporary political process. The three main elements of political communication are: ideology, propaganda and persuasion. The deployment of Social Media in putting forth one's or party's ideology, propagating one's or party's agenda, and persuading the voter is widespread as never before. Many scholars including Walter Lippmann doubted the efficacy of media in public enlightenment that democracy requires. For, they thought that media cannot tell the truth objectively. Harold Lasswell too took note of the tendency of media propaganda to dupe and degrade the voters. His work expressed the fear of propaganda. This view was partly based on the direct effects theories of media. Similar fear about the Social Media is lurking in the minds of many today. To camouflage such fear political spin doctors might employ political Public Relations. Political spin doctors are press agents or publicists employed to promote favourable interpretations to journalists. They also weave reports of factual events into palatable stories. The case for political public relations is that it enables paternalism, pluralism, and pragmatism. But there is also a case against it in that it leads to news management and spin, corporatism in politics, and 'enlightened self-interest'. The increasing availability of internet even in remote parts of the world has made Social Media a virtual public sphere enabling e-democracy. This has enabled people to read into the official messages (media text/content) that are being sent, interpret them, and draw conclusions for themselves. This is a limitation of media in general, which applies also to the Social Media. From this some scholars argue for the limited impact of the media. In this connection a fundamental question that is being raised is about the validity and sustainability of social networks as a campaign tool: How much do users trust the information they find there? Besides, although accessibility to internet has been on the increase worldwide still there is the 'digital divide'. This tends to limit the effectiveness of Social Media 2 as a tool of political communication among the digital have-nots. Besides, most political communication is directed to and received by men. Thus there is a gender divide too as far as political communication is concerned.

BUSINESS & SOCIAL SCIENCES, 2025

Social media has become a dominant force in modern political mobilization, transforming the way individuals and groups engage in political activities. This systematic review explores the role of social media platforms in facilitating political mobilization, highlighting their impact on information dissemination, grassroots organizing, public opinion formation, and the challenges they pose, such as misinformation and government surveillance. The review draws on key case studies, including the Arab Spring, the movement, and the 2020 around the world protests, to analyze the ways in which social media has been instrumental in advancing political causes. It also examines the limitations of social media in political mobilization, including issues of slacktivism and the difficulty in converting online engagement into tangible political change. Additionally, the review explores the risks associated with the use of social media for political activism, such as digital surveillance, censorship, and the spread of misinformation. The review concludes by advocating for a more nuanced understanding of social media's role in political movements and suggests further research into the strategies needed to maximize its benefits while mitigating its risks. This review contributes to the growing body of literature on digital activism and highlights the complex and multifaceted nature of social media's impact on contemporary political movements.

The Internet has revolutionized the way most people live. It has become an integral part of our economic, political, and social lives, altering the way we purchase goods, the way we bank, and the way we communicate with one another. The number of internet users have grown from ten million in 1993 to three billions in 2014. People use online social media regularly to stay connected to their family and friends and pursue interests and hobbies. Advancement in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) , evolution of the Internet Web2.0 technology and the innovation of mobile technology have quickly developed social media into an important way to influence society. Social media has changed the way people communicate, it have helped make real the idea of a “global village”. The power of social media to affect society is based on its social aspects which means interaction and participation . Previous studies conducted on social media use presented Social Media as a tool that would motivate and deepen the relationship between citizens and politicians. Other studies have focused attention on the loss of control over information, the lack of citizens’ interest in general politics and the remaining inequalities of Internet access. According to David Phillips who explored the growth of social media sites, success in politics is now highly influenced by the online activities of political institutions, they can exchange views on the latest political developments or hot topics, inviting the public to comment and follow their political programs. David concluded that we have entered an entirely new and exciting era of politics, the internet has totally revolutionized the practice of public relations. Kathy Cohen, who studies youth utilization of social media, pointed out that social media provides expanded opportunities for political engagement for youth and marginalized groups, facilitated through the culture of sharing and participation. She concluded that social media has the potential to facilitate an equitable distribution of political participation among people from different racial and ethnic groups . To shed-light on the power of social media as political tool, this study explored illustrative cases of effective use of Social Media since 2011, for political mobilization, election campaigning, war propaganda and public diplomacy. The research examined the hypotheses that with the advancement in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), evolution of the Internet, innovation in mobile technology and the rapid increase in the number of Internet users, Social Media became an influential and powerful political tool that provides equal opportunities for the rich and the poor. The advancement in Internet Technology and the rapid increase in Internet users have made Social Media an essential, influential and powerful political tool. Social Media participatory and interactive characteristics have made it an essential tool for political and social change. The power of the Internet and its ability to overcome physical, economic, political, social, and individual barriers, have made Social Media an integral part of modern society communication habits. Social Media supports the human need for social interaction and knowledge and information democratization, transforming people from content consumers into content producers. Social Media provided people with alternatives and the freedom to choose. The participatory skills, norms, and networks that are developed through social media to socialize with friends or to engage with people with the same interests can and are being transferred to the political realm. The average individual has risen to the centre of digital content production, sharing his own knowledge, wisdom and personal experiences with his peers Political activists utilized social media tool such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and weblogs as tools for organizing and generating awareness. Social media allows political activist to operate with greater creativity and independence and to go across political borders. Social Media provides individuals the capability to reach a sizable audience and mobilize others through their social networks in an easy and inexpensive manner. Social media applications such as Twitter have provided politicians with the tool to influence, inform, and engage their public while gathering feedback on political issues

Due to its large number public cannot gather in one place and speak as a single voice, and consequently it cannot represent itself. However, public is always needed as political legitimation, therefore political forces compete to make their own definitions of public and use them as the basis of political claims. To make their definition of public close to the real people, democratic mechanisms have been developed. Once in a number of years, people elect candidates who will represent and govern them. But, most of the time they will be silent and ignored by the changing dynamics of politics. Conventional media does not help the public much to express its voice. Most often it becomes the tool of the elite for indoctrination or the mobilizing of bias. However, social media might empower people, because it allows them to voice their own concerns and to have conversation with each other. But, to have a real impact, the conversation must be directed to solve a real problem. Leadership is required to mobilize people's voice virtually and then turn it into a real political pressure.

2025

Social media has revolutionized political engagement, social movements, and information consumption. While platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have democratized access to information and facilitated grassroots mobilization, they have also become tools for manipulation, surveillance, and polarization. This article explores the dual role of social media in modern democracy, analyzing its impact on nonviolent resistance, algorithmic bias, public opinion formation, and electoral integrity. Drawing on interdisciplinary research, empirical evidence, and a novel theoretical framework, it proposes a "Democratic Regulation Framework" for social media platforms that combines transparency, accountability, and public participation. By fostering collaboration between governments, tech companies, civil society, and academia, we can harness the benefits of these platforms while mitigating their risks.