THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA: WHAT YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT?

APA full citation: Filho, C. I. (2024, October 4). The Power of Social Media: What You Should Care About? EBS I&D Centre. https://www.ebscentre.org/society/

Abstract

Social media has rapidly become a powerful force, influencing individual behavior, social movements, and political processes globally. This article examines the dual role of social media from sociological and political science perspectives, exploring its impact on identity formation, political engagement, and collective action. Sociologically, social media platforms allow users to curate their identities, but this can create tension between their online personas and real-life experiences, potentially affecting mental health. Politically, social media fosters political mobilization and democratization, but it also enables misinformation and polarization through algorithmic manipulation. The ethical and regulatory challenges posed by social media, including the spread of disinformation and threats to democratic discourse, call for greater attention from individuals, policymakers, and researchers. This article emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to harness social media's benefits while mitigating its risks, ensuring its role as a tool for positive social change.

Keywords: social media, identity formation, misinformation, political engagement, collective action, algorithmic manipulation

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Introduction

Social media has become an essential aspect of modern life, influencing various aspects of society, including politics, social interaction, and individual behavior. With billions of people worldwide using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, social media's power has grown exponentially, reshaping how information is disseminated, how political movements gain traction, and how individuals construct their identities. In this article, we explore the implications of social media's influence from both sociological and political science perspectives, highlighting why individuals, policymakers, and researchers should care about its expanding role.

The Sociological Perspective: Social Media and Identity Formation

Social media platforms offer users the ability to create, curate, and share content with a global audience. From a sociological perspective, this interaction plays a critical role in identity formation and the performance of social roles. Goffman's (1959) concept of "the presentation of self in everyday life" applies well to social media, as users engage in performative acts, carefully managing their online personas to fit desired social expectations. The digital space allows for experimentation with identity, as individuals choose what aspects of themselves to highlight or obscure (Ellison, Heino, & Gibbs, 2006).

Self-Presentation and Authenticity

The quest for authenticity on social media can lead to cognitive dissonance, as users may feel pressured to present idealized versions of themselves. This curated identity can result in a gap between real-life experiences and the online persona, creating tension in self-perception. Studies show that individuals are more likely to experience anxiety, stress, and feelings of inadequacy when their online persona diverges significantly from their offline self (Chen, 2021). This reinforces the need for a more mindful approach to social media usage, focusing on the impacts of self-presentation and mental health.

It is also a matter of concern from States in public policy to review and update, by enhancing, day-by-day, their educational standards systems which will then be capable to foresee any upcoming social and/or political destabilisation in society. 

Social Media as a Tool for Social Movements

Social media's ability to connect like-minded individuals has given rise to a new form of collective action. Bennett and Segerberg (2012) argue that social media platforms facilitate "connective action," where political participation and social movements are organized through individualized expressions of grievances rather than traditional top-down organization. Movements such as the Arab Spring, Black Lives Matter, and #MeToo exemplify how social media can serve as a catalyst for political and social change.

However, while social media can amplify marginalized voices and provide a space for organizing, it can also be a source of misinformation and polarizing content. Echo chambers, where users are exposed primarily to information that aligns with their preexisting views, can lead to increased political polarization (Sunstein, 2009). This effect has significant sociopolitical consequences, as it undermines democratic discourse and encourages ideological fragmentation.

The Political Science Perspective: Social Media and Political Influence

From a political science perspective, the power of social media lies in its ability to shape political opinions, mobilize voters, and influence elections. Social media platforms provide unprecedented access to information, but they also create an environment where misinformation can spread rapidly and without accountability (Tucker et al., 2018). In the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, for example, social media was a primary vehicle for both legitimate political discourse and the dissemination of false information, which played a role in shaping voter behavior (Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017).

Algorithmic Manipulation and the Spread of Misinformation

One critical concern for political scientists is the role that algorithms play in determining which content is seen by users. Social media algorithms prioritise engagement, which often leads to the promotion of sensationalist or emotionally charged content that garners likes, shares, and comments. This can create a fertile ground for misinformation, as sensationalist content is more likely to go viral than fact-based reporting (Vosoughi, Roy, & Aral, 2018).

Political actors, both domestic and foreign, have exploited these vulnerabilities to spread propaganda and manipulate public opinion. Russia's involvement in the 2016 U.S. election, including the use of social media to spread disinformation and sow discord, highlights the national security implications of unchecked online spaces (Gonzalez, 2017). Consequently, governments and regulatory bodies face the challenge of balancing free speech with the need to protect democratic institutions from malicious interference.

Observe also the high impact in younger generations and children in general, where the massive influence of social media could bring to their lives by shaping a false "real-life expectation" layout.

Within this same matter, States and public policy are strongly involved as liable actors and tools by limiting the social media activity when it comes to the misuse of algorithmwhether it impacts directly their public due diligences to provide and grant education, security and other basic services to the society.

Read more at: Neuroscience News and National Library of Medicine.

Political Engagement and Democratization

Despite the risks associated with misinformation, social media also offers significant opportunities for enhancing political engagement and democratization. Social media platforms lower the barriers to political participation, allowing citizens to voice their opinions, organize protests, and directly interact with political leaders. This can lead to increased transparency and accountability, as politicians are more accessible to the public (Tufekci, 2017).

Furthermore, social media has the potential to democratize access to political information, providing individuals with a platform to challenge traditional power structures and question authoritative narratives. For instance, movements like Occupy Wall Street and Fridays for Future have demonstrated how grassroots movements can gain global traction through online mobilization (Castells, 2012). These developments suggest that while social media can be a tool for manipulation, it can also serve as a force for democratic empowerment.

Ethical and Regulatory Implications

Given the immense power of social media, ethical and regulatory considerations must be taken into account. The ethical responsibility of social media companies in curbing misinformation and protecting user privacy is a growing concern. Political actors have called for increased regulation of social media platforms to prevent the spread of disinformation, protect user data, and ensure algorithmic transparency (Zuboff, 2019).

One proposed solution is the implementation of digital literacy programs aimed at helping users critically evaluate the information they encounter online. By equipping users with the tools to discern fact from fiction, societies can better safeguard against the negative impacts of misinformation (Guess, Nyhan, & Reifler, 2020).

Conclusion

The power of social media is undeniable, with implications that span across sociology and political science. On one hand, social media allows for identity formation, collective action, and democratization. On the other hand, it can lead to political manipulation, polarization, and the spread of misinformation. As social media continues to evolve, it is crucial that individuals, policymakers, and researchers remain vigilant, balancing the benefits of these platforms with the risks they pose to society. Understanding the power dynamics at play will be essential for ensuring that social media serves as a tool for positive social change rather than a source of division and unrest.

Carlos I. Filho

References

Allcott, H., & Gentzkow, M. (2017). Social media and fake news in the 2016 election. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 31(2), 211-236.

Bennett, W. L., & Segerberg, A. (2012). The logic of connective action: Digital media and the personalization of contentious politics. Information, Communication & Society, 15(5), 739-768.

Castells, M. (2012). Networks of outrage and hope: Social movements in the Internet age. Polity Press.

Chen, G. M. (2021). The psychology of social media: Why we are so obsessed with online identities. Psychology of Popular Media, 10(3), 291-298.

Ellison, N. B., Heino, R., & Gibbs, J. L. (2006). Managing impressions online: Self-presentation processes in the online dating environment. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11(2), 415-441.

Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. Anchor Books.

Gonzalez, J. (2017). Russian disinformation and the impact on Western elections. Journal of Political Risk, 5(11).

Guess, A., Nyhan, B., & Reifler, J. (2020). Exposure to untrustworthy websites in the 2016 US election. Nature Human Behaviour, 4(5), 472-480.

Sunstein, C. R. (2009). Republic.com 2.0. Princeton University Press.

Tucker, J. A., Theocharis, Y., Roberts, M. E., & Barberá, P. (2018). From liberation to turmoil: Social media and democracy. Journal of Democracy, 28(4), 46-59.

Tufekci, Z. (2017). Twitter and tear gas: The power and fragility of networked protest. Yale University Press.

Vosoughi, S., Roy, D., & Aral, S. (2018). The spread of true and false news online. Science, 359(6380), 1146-1151.

Zuboff, S. (2019). The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power. PublicAffairs.