Assessing the Role of Social Media in Shaping Political Awareness Among Pakistani Youth

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of social media on the political awareness of Pakistani youth. In today's digital world, social media sites are the main places where people get political information, especially young people who spend a lot of time online. Pakistan, characterized by its swiftly expanding youth demographic and rising internet accessibility, offers a substantial framework for examining the impact of digital media on political knowledge, perceptions and engagement. The research is based on Agenda-Setting Theory, Framing Theory and Cultivation Theory, which together explain how being exposed to media affects how we think and feel. A quantitative research design was utilized and data were gathered from 100 respondents aged 18 to 27 via a structured questionnaire through convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics, such as frequencies and percentages, were used to look for patterns in social media use, exposure to political content, levels of engagement and feelings of trust and misinformation. The results show that a large number of people who answered the survey use social media every day and see political content often. But even though people are very aware of politics, they don't often take part in discussions or share political content. Also, worries about false information and a moderate level of trust in political content show that social media may not be the best way to learn about politics.The study finds that social media does a lot to raise political awareness among young people in Pakistan, but it doesn't do much because of problems with credibility, selective exposure and limited engagement. The results highlight the significance of fostering digital literacy and responsible media consumption to enhance informed political engagement in Pakistan.

Keywords: Pakistan Media Influence, Political Communication, Political Awareness, Youth, Social Media