31, August 2026

Influence of Social Media on Political Activism: A critical Review

Author(s): Dr Sasmita Bargah

Authors Affiliations:

Assistant Professor, Department of Political Sciences, Govt. J.M.P. College, Takhatpur Bilaspur, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Viashwavidyalaya, Bilaspur Chhattisgarh-495009.

DOIs:10.2018/SS/202608012     |     Paper ID: SS202608012


Abstract
Keywords
Cite this Article/Paper as
References

This study examines how social media have accelerated the political activism especially the political campaigning, voting, mobilizing masses and political advertising. A desk review including qualitative approach was followed to conduct this study. The analysis reveals that social media platforms such as Face book and Twitter amplify civic engagement in a political system by facilitating swift information diffusion and coordinated collective actions. The social media has accelerated the political activism. The findings reveal that in the current era the political campaigning is increasingly data driven, leveraging real-time analytics to target specific voter segments and shape public discourse in a less time. This review found that previous studies show that social media influences voting by increasing voter turnout through peer pressure and thus enhanced the political activism. Social media plays a role in organizing protests, by spreading information, coordinating actions, and mobilizing large groups, which directly has increased the speed and reach of public issues within a political system. In democratic countries like India, social media have become pivotal catalysts that democratize participation by enabling rapid mobilization and widespread dissemination of political messages. Further studies are required to assess the effectiveness of digital campaigning on political activism through voter behavior and policy formulation. This study also stress on identifying the major challenges faced by the social media in enhancing the political activism.

Social Media, Political Activism, Digital Campaigning, Voter Behavior, Policy Formulation.

Dr Sasmita Bargah (2026); Influence of Social Media on Political Activism: A critical Review, Shikshan Sanshodhan : Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences,      ISSN(o): 2581-6241,  Volume – 9,   Issue –  8,  Available on –   https://shikshansanshodhan.researchculturesociety.org/

Adila, I., Yustisia, I. R., & Avicenna, F. (2023). Online Media Activism and Political Participation of Urban Young Adults in Indonesia (p. 61). https://doi.org/10.11594/futscipress226

Afyare, D. A. A. A. (2025). The Influence of Social Media on Political Discourse and Public Opinionhttps://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5067924

Ajaegbu, O. O., & Ajaegbu, C. (2024). The new democratisation: social media impact on the political process in Sub-Saharan Africa. Frontiers in Communication9https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2024.1394949

Akbar, P., Nurmandi, A., Purwaningsih, T., Jubba, H., & Irawan, B. (2023). Public Response to General Election Dissemination on social media by the Indonesian General Election Commission. E3S Web of Conferences440, 3002. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202344003002

Al-odat, A. M., Al-Qora’n, L. F., & Hamoud, M. A. (2023). Social Media Platforms and Political Participation: A Study of Jordanian Youth Engagement. Social Sciences12(7), 402. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12070402

Ana, C., Boudreau, M., & Carvalho, J. Á. (2019). Organizing collective action: Does information and communication technology matter? Information and Organization29(3), 100256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infoandorg.2019.100256

Ariestandy, D., Adidharma, W., & Isdendi, R. R. (2024). Transformation Of Political Participation In The Digital Age, The Role Of Social Media In Shaping Public Opinion And Mass Mobilization. Jurnal Ekonomi Teknologi Dan Bisnis (JETBIS)3(9), 1738. https://doi.org/10.57185/jetbis.v3i9.145

Bell, K., & Reed, M. S. (2021). The tree of participation: a new model for inclusive decision-making. Community Development Journalhttps://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsab018

Chakma, K. (2025). A Review of The Role of Social Media in Shaping Social Movements [Review of A Review of The Role of Social Media in Shaping Social Movements]. SSRN Electronic Journal. RELX Group (Netherlands). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5083142

Compare, C., Lorusso, M. M., & Albanesi, C. (2024). The power of connection: Resource and responsibility in the virtual community experience of Italian trans and gender‐diverse activists. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology34(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2859

Congge, U., Guillamón, M., Nurmandi, A., Salahudin, S., & Sihidi, I. T. (2023). Digital democracy: A systematic literature review. Frontiers in Political Science5https://doi.org/10.3389/fpos.2023.972802

Hendrawan, S. A., Chatra, A., Iman, N., Hidayatullah, S., & Suprayitno, D. (2024). Digital Transformation in MSMEs: Challenges and Opportunities in Technology Management. Jurnal Informasi Dan Teknologi, 141. https://doi.org/10.60083/jidt.v6i2.551

Hobbs, C. (2020). Europe’s Digital Sovereignty: From Rulemaker To Superpower In The Age Of Us-China Rivalry.

Hussain, M. K. I., Farooq, H., & Iqbal, D. N. (2023). A Qualitative Study of Exploring the Impact of Social Media on Political Participation. Journal of Media Culture and Communication36, 11. https://doi.org/10.55529/jmcc.36.11.21

Jafari, Z., & Jafari, M. (2022). Social Media as a Political Arena: A Qualitative Analysis of Online Activism1(2), 19. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.isslp.1.2.4

Kanchnawongpaisan, S., & Kulachai, W. (2023). Social Media Influence and Political Activism: A Literature Review and Research Agenda [Review of Social Media Influence and Political Activism: A Literature Review and Research Agenda]. Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research/Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, 400. Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-244-6_59

Keith, D. (2023). The Impact of Social Media on Political Activism. International Journal of Humanity and Social Sciences1(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.47941/ijhss.1429

Kharel, A. B. (2024). Cyber-Politics: Social Media’s Influence on Political Mobilization. Journal of Political Science, 103. https://doi.org/10.3126/jps.v24i1.62857

Leong, C., Pan, S. L., Bahri, S., & Fauzi, A. (2018). Social media empowerment in social movements: power activation and power accrual in digital activism. European Journal of Information Systems28(2), 173. https://doi.org/10.1080/0960085x.2018.1512944

Nelimarkka, M., Laaksonen, S.-M., Tuokko, M., & Valkonen, T. (2020). Platformed Interactions: How Social Media Platforms Relate to Candidate–Constituent Interaction During Finnish 2015 Election Campaigning. Social Media + Society6(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120903856

Okon, E. A., Ojedor, D.-R. O., & Owolabi, B. O. (2025). The Role of Social Media in the 2023 Nigerian General Elections: An Analytical Appraisal of Selected Platforms. American Journal of Arts and Human Science4(1), 32. https://doi.org/10.54536/ajahs.v4i1.3226

Phillips, C. (2024). Digital Communication and the Rise of Online Activism. Journal of Communication5(3), 31. https://doi.org/10.47941/jcomm.1983

Rossini, P., Sturm-Wikerson, H., & Johnson, T. J. (2020). A wall of incivility? Public discourse and immigration in the 2016 U.S. Primaries. Journal of Information Technology & Politics18(3), 243. https://doi.org/10.1080/19331681.2020.1858218

Sanz, P. (2024). The Rise of Digital Activism and its Strategic Implications. Deep Blue (University of Michigan)https://doi.org/10.7302/24020

Shah, M. A., & Khan, Z. (2023). The Role of Youth Activism in Facilitating Social Change: A Catalyst for Transformation in the Contemporary Era. Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities4(4), 1. https://doi.org/10.55737/qjssh.575688089

Sharma, K., Verma, A., Sangwan, P., Kohli, S., & Chakravarty, T. (2021). PERCEPTION OF INDIAN YOUTH ON DIGITAL ACTIVISM: MOTIVATION, BARRIERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION. International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences and Technology6(4). https://doi.org/10.33564/ijeast.2021.v06i04.027

Velazco, J. J. H. G. de, Hernández, A. C. C., Kiselitsa, E. P., Timerbulatova, A., & Hernandez, J. (2023). The impact of digital citizenship on the development of the socio-political environment of the region. E3S Web of Conferences449, 2002. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202344902002

Venus, A., Intyaswati, D., Ayuningtyas, F., & Lestari, P. (2025). Political participation in the digital age: Impact of influencers and advertising on Generation Z. Cogent Arts and Humanities12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2025.2520063

Yadav, A. (2024). The BJP’s Social Media Strategy: Crafting Political Narratives in the Digital Sphere. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)13(9), 255. https://doi.org/10.21275/sr24903124925


Download Full Paper

Download PDF No. of Downloads:1 | No. of Views: 23