Why is Social Media Important?

Social media is one of the most powerful tools in society today, and for that reason, it is crucial that we understand it. According to Statista 2.77 billion people use social media platforms around the world. Not only is that number already huge but it is projected to jump to 2.9 billion in 2020 and 3.02 billion users in 2021. These social media platforms, mostly Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, hold a lot of power in terms of how many people they can reach. I know that more young people are getting involved in politics because of the ease of social media. For instance, just this week, my Instagram feed has been filled with posts about abortion bans, the unfair treatment of cows by Fair Life, and even the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. People I follow are uploading pictures and information to their stories, and through that, they can reach all of their followers and share their politically rooted messages to many people. Not only are their followers able to repost their messages, but they are also able to be aware of what is happening if they are a person who does not usually follow the news.

I have been able to learn a lot by reading posts by people on my social media platforms. While it is important that social media provides people across the world with information about the crisis happening around the globe, one should also do their own research. I personally enjoy social media because what I see is usually geared to what I agree with. However, it is important to go outside your social media bubble as a lot of the news is catered towards you. On Facebook, a user can filter what posts they see or do not see. To be a well-informed citizen, one must read up and understand both sides of an argument to be able to shape their own opinion.

In a study done by PEW Research in 2018, 71% of 18-24 year-olds use Instagram, 78% use Snapchat, and 45% use Twitter. These are huge numbers and should not be taken for granted. With how many young people social media reaches, it is so impressive that politics has become such a common topic to find posts about on these platforms. The current political climate is very heated, some may say.  There is a clear political divide in the nation, and that was seen very vividly in the 2016 election. Not only has social media boomed in the years since 2016, but the current president also takes advantage of social media, specifically Twitter, to speak with people. According to an article by the New York Post, “young people feel more politically empowered than ever.” I believe that social media has made that possible for young people. Through social media, young adults can put their voices out into the world like never before. While many things cannot be fixed with social media platforms, no one can dispute the effect that it has had across the world and how it has been able to engage young adults in current events like never before.