Can Social Media Boost Civic Engagement This Election?

Voting day

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It's election season again, and the airwaves and digital realms are buzzing. Debates are heating up, and the media is teeming with sensational headlines about political candidates and their agendas. In this whirlwind, social media acts not just as a loudspeaker for political parties to broadcast their messages; it also amplifies our voices—the people on the ground—allowing us to connect, share, and unite to make our concerns heard by those in power.

However, the big question remains: How effective is social media for social and political activism? Recent elections have shown us that strategic misinformation campaigns can dampen voter turnout. But on the flip side, can social media also motivate people to get to the polls? If so, what mechanisms are at play?

Online activism, particularly through movements like #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter, and #SayHerName, has become a powerful tool for change in recent years. Research clearly shows that online and offline activism are deeply intertwined. For example, someone protesting in the streets may use social media to coordinate efforts, while awareness raised online can fuel physical protests.

Take the #MeToo movement—it began solely online but spurred incredible real-world effects. In the first six months, sex crime reports increased by 10% across several countries. In the U.S., the positive impact persisted for at least two years, with continued increases in reports and arrests related to sexual assault. Further studies also show that online actions like tweeting against sexism predict future collective actions, whether it’s protesting or donating to support victims of assault.

Social media’s ability to connect and inform has been particularly impactful among younger audiences (Gen Z, young Millennials), empowering them to participate in civic activities like seeking information, coordinating actions, and voicing concerns. Using social media to consume news and engage with socially or politically active groups has shown a positive influence on offline civic actions, such as volunteering, attending political meetings, donating or working for campaigns, and even voting. Specifically, individuals who are more likely to abstain from voting, including minority groups and low-income voters, are nevertheless engaged politically on social media, thus showing social media compensatory potential for otherwise politically disengaged.

So yes, the information political parties and their leaders post on social media does impact individuals' voting intentions. But even more so, friends who post about their voting intentions have an even stronger influence on our own voting intentions. For example, a study focusing on the popular “I voted” profile status update on Facebook showed that when voters tag friends in Facebook status updates, it increases their likelihood of going to the polls above common face-to-face methods.

This illustrates that while social media can indeed be a double-edged sword in the political arena when leveraged responsibly, it has the potential to foster significant civic engagement and bring more voters to the polls.

Based on this research, I’d say: Let’s not hesitate—let our voices be heard. Let’s share our political involvement, inspire each other, and join the conversations that will shape our future. Together, our actions, both online and offline, have the power to drive real change.