|
In this rapidly changing, technologically advancing and globally networked world, the possibilities of expression for the young generation that are now available have never been as great as they are today. Internet and communication technologies have not only expanded the number of activities of youth, but also the number of ways in which these activities are carried out. Pakistan's youth are also being influenced by the recent wave of social media. Social media platforms offer their users many different and innovative ways to express themselves. Whether it's passive online expression, such as casually liking and sharing social media content, or active online expression, such as commenting, discussing, interfering in online political controversies, evaluating, reading, and forwarding blogs, both promote different levels and forms of civic and political engagement (Gil De Zúñiga et al., 2009; C. Vaccari et al., 2015). In addition, all political parties at the national level in Pakistan also have social media accounts and social media teams. Political parties and personalities use social media for political campaigns and to gain access to young voters, especially those who have previously turned away from politics (Tasenţe + Nicoleta, 2013). Social media is now an increasingly popular platform for bringing about lasting change in the political environment of any country, whether in the mobilization of political protest in Spain through social networks (Anduiza et al., 2014) or in the case of the movement of the Arab Spring (Breuer, 2012; Breuer et al., 2015). This study examines the phenomenon of political communication on Facebook and Twitter and its impact on the political mobilisation of young people in the context of political and social conditions in Pakistan. The data collected on various websites, which include surveys on social media users and on voter voting trends and their political participation, provide some clues to these phenomena and a solid foundation to address this research and test the ...
|
