How does social media boost civic engagement?
Few inventions have had more of an impact on modern society than social media has. It can be used as a tool to connect friends and families, or as a method to spread misinformation among vulnerable communities.
But as per a recent study conducted by Chapman associate professor and positive media psychologist Sophie Janicke-Bowles, in social media lies another great potential: the ability to boost civic engagement among younger generations.
Social media has already played an increasingly important role in social activism among Gen Z. Without social media, it’s likely that the 2020 Black Lives Matter George Floyd Protests would not have been nearly as prominent.
“Social media platforms have proven to be powerful tools for activism, connecting and mobilizing people across the globe. From #MeToo to #BlackLivesMatter, these online movements have sparked real-world change,” said a Chapman press release regarding Janicke-Bowles’ research.
Janicke-Bowles’ goal was to take a further step and study the connections between social media and its ability to drive civic action.
“As a positive media psychologist, I am always interested in how media can impact us positively,” said Janicke-Bowles. “Given the political climate today and a lot of the problems that come from new media, I wanted to see what the positives are that new media can provide to communities”
Social media has changed the way people interact by making it easier and faster than ever to foster connections between individuals, with Janicke-Bowles noting that social media offers a unique route for groups to organize and for messages to be spread amongst the general population.
It’s something that many students have already observed for quite some time.
“Right now, social media is the number one way to market most everything,” said Marisa Lamas, a sophomore public relations, advertising and entertainment marketing major. “Even though TikTok is known for being the most unserious social media platform, I genuinely believe this may be the best way to relay information. It’s easier to convey a message through a video rather than text, especially if the video is captivating.”
The diversity in social media platforms and what features they offer have an effect on civic engagement as well. In her research, Janicke-Bowles found that each app, no matter its popularity, has a role to play.
“Obviously, big platforms (such as) Instagram, Facebook and X are used to communicate political messages by political leaders and civilians alike. However, specifically messaging platforms like Whatsapp are powerful in connecting like-minded individuals and coordinating group efforts to spread online or offline activism,” said Janicke-Bowles.
In Lamas’ experience, it’s rare to even find a single issue siloed in one social media platform, with the differences in how people engage seemingly depending more on ideology.
“One of the most prominent issues on my personal feed is gun control. When a mass shooting happens people go to Instagram to express their sorrow for the losses or discontent with the lack of gun regulation,” said Lamas. “When a politician mentions stricter gun laws, people take to Twitter to let it be known that the second amendment should be protected.”
In Janicke-Bowles’ mind, the benefits of social media may be especially helpful to Chapman students, who can and should take advantage of social media and other online communication tools to inspire civic engagement and activism.
Social media has experienced its fair share of criticism in recent years, between the testimony of a whistleblower on Facebook’s negative effects on democracy and an investigation into the toll TikTok can take on the mental health of teens. But for Janicke-Bowles, there is a danger in ignoring what social media can offer for people looking to effect change for the better.
“If we don't research those questions, the negative effects of social media polarizing society will always prevail,” said Janicke-Bowles.