The interdependence of media and public opinion: the impact of social media on the political opinions of the youth

Author: 
Maricris C. Abamonga, Jepsy Bernadette M. Babia, Jeznin Angekyla P. Barroquillo, Retchel Medel and Bea Jane V. Serna

Members of the youth sector play an essential role in the society. They are expected to participate in the development of the nation and aid in the alleviation of current social problems. One of the channels wherein one can partake in the community is social media. Therefore, the project is focused on identifying the impact of social media on forming the political opinions of the youth, as utilizing online platforms for discourse and discussions have been prevalent amid the pandemic. The initiative will administer the active participation of the youth in the current political situation of the country in social media platforms through articles, community threads, and webinars. To ensure the smooth implementation of the project, proponents of the team have collaborated with Gana Philippines, a youth-led organization that aspires to aid its members towards finding their own advocacies. Throughout the course of the study, the members have achieved an amazing feat in finishing the needed articles, community threads, publication materials, and webinars that were planned before the implementation. The project, all through the 2 months duration, has achieved the objectives that were initially set; although there were problems and obstacles along the way, the group has still managed to inform and impart knowledge to everyone through different social media platforms. By conducting the initiative in an online community, the team has raised awareness on the current events witnessed by society, informed the youth on its role in society and what members of the sector can do in the present political climate, and shared tips on fact-checking and the proper use of social media. With this, the group hopes that the learnings we have disseminated will be used by the community in their future endeavors.

Paper No: 
3692