Social Media's Growing Political Power
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are where the real action happens now - especially for younger voters. Political parties work overtime to get noticed on these platforms because they can reach massive audiences instantly.
The rise of WhatsApp groups and Facebook discussions during the 2017 and 2019 elections shows how social media creates political movements through hashtags and viral content. Even traditional news organisations like the BBC had to create apps and websites to keep up.
However, social media often creates echo chambers where people only see views they already agree with. Most users just scan headlines on their phones rather than reading full articles, which means complex political issues get reduced to bite-sized, often misleading snippets.
Reality Check: Remember Jacob Rees-Mogg's viral moment lying on the Commons bench? It got millions of views but didn't really inform anyone about Brexit policies.
The bottom line? Media influence is real but limited - it mainly works on people who are already open to changing their minds, which isn't most voters.