| Abstract: | Social media is a Computer Based Technology that facilitates sharing of Ideas, thoughts, and
information through building virtual networks and communities. By design social media is
Internet based and gives user quick electronic communication of content. Content includes
personal information, documents, videos, photos etc. Users engage with social media via
computer, tablet or smart phone. While social media is ubiquitous in America and Europe,
China and India now lead the list of usage.Social media has been integrated in our society
today to such extend that it is impossible for people to take you seriously if you are not on
any social media platform. Everyone is on social media young, old, rich, poor etc. Popular
social networks are Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp Instagram etc.Social media has reduced the
world to a global village.Youths are spending more time in the social media than their friends
and family. When they wake up the first thing they check is there social media accounts and before they go to sleep the last thing they check are the updates. Thus social media have
become prominent part of life for many youths. The ability to access social media site
through cell phones, iPads and other mobile Internet devices has increased the amount of
time students spend to gain information on the sites. According to a recent study, voter
participation is increased among Facebook users. In 2015 social media played a vital role in
making a political party even win in the Delhi election. More than 50% of people gets
breaking news on social media than any other media.Most of the protest were initiated in
social media nowadays. Social media activitists are posting, sharing and commenting on
photos and videos. Online activities related to politics are useful and encourage youth to
participate in political events (Quintelier & Vissers, 2008). Internet use, political knowledge,
and political participation are associated with one another. This trend is playing a key role in
elections, especially in developing countries like Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Internet
and social media have become increasingly important for disseminating political information
(McAllister, 2015). Conversely, it also poses threats to democracies, as was seen in the 2016
United States presidential elections and some of the European countries. Social media is one
of the biggest sources of information for billions of its users; however, it also has huge
potential for disinformation to manipulate public opinion. The above-mentioned effects of
social media on political activism are important in determining political dynamics. The
Internet encourages its users toward politics and strengthens offline political participation
which shows the dual effect of Internet on information and participation toward politics
(Nam, 2012). The present study was an attempt to understand how college students use
various social media sites and apps and create awareness among them about the current
political situation .This helps to know their usage patterns, most used sites, participation in
social and political issues. |
