News curation on social media as a pathway to political engagement

The role of social media in influencing political thinking, perception, and participation is becoming increasingly important, as evident in the volume of research the topic has attracted. This article presents findings on social media, political efficacy, and political participation in Nigeria. The objective is to evaluate the relationship between social media and political efficacy; social media and political participation; and political efficacy and political participation in Nigeria. To this end, the study adopted a web survey design for sample participants across the country, using links distributed through Facebook and Twitter. Snowball sampling was adopted to determine the total number of respondents (N = 3,407). The results of the descriptive statistics and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient yielded evidence that the majority of social media users in Nigeria are male, young, educated and largely unemployed . It concludes that social media influences political efficacy and political participation in Nigeria.

This study investigates the role of social media in fostering youth activism during Pakistan’s General Election 2024, a period marked by increased digital engagement and political expression. Drawing on Mobilization Theory and Reinforcement Theory, the research explores how social media usage influences political interest, political efficacy, and activism among young adults. The study seeks to answer the following key questions: How does social media usage shape youth political interest? What is the relationship between political efficacy and youth activism? Using a quantitative approach, data were collected via an online questionnaire and analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to test hypothesized relationships among variables. The results demonstrate that social media use significantly enhances political interest, which in turn is a strong predictor of youth activism. Additionally, while social media positively affects political efficacy, the latter does not significantly predict activism, suggesting a disconnect between perceived political confidence and actual political engagement. These findings underscore the importance of digital platforms in youth political mobilization while highlighting limitations in translating digital engagement into real-world activism. The study contributes to existing literature by providing context-specific insights from Pakistan’s electoral landscape and emphasizes the need for political actors to bridge the gap between online engagement and offline participation through inclusive and responsive strategies. Keywords: Social media, youth activism, political engagement, Pakistan elections, political efficacy.

This online survey conducted at a public university in the Northwest (N = 434) examines the influence of political involvement, information source attention, and online political discussion on young adults’ political efficacy. A factor analysis indicated that political information sources loaded into three factors including conventional and online hard news media such as newspapers, opinion and social media such as blogs or social networking websites, and public affairs websites including government and candidate websites. A path analysis revealed significant differences in their association with online political expression and external efficacy. As an entry point in the theoretical model, involvement in public affairs positively associated with attention to political information sources, online political expression, and external political efficacy. Attention to hard news and to public affairs websites positively predicted political efficacy. Attention to online opinion and social media and to public affairs websites positively predicted online political expression.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify how political interest, efficacy and media usage influence political participation in hospital nurses. Methods: Participants were 286 nurses, who were informed of the study purpose and agreed to participate. Data were collected during November and December, 2012 using a questionnaire on political interest, political efficacy, media usage and political participation. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe’s test, Pearson Correlation Coefficients, and Multiple Stepwise Regression. Results: Scores for political participation and political interest was average. The score for political efficacy was higher than average. Political participation was significantly different by education level, job career, position, and intention to vote in the election for the 18th President. Political participation had a moderate positive correlation with political interest (r=.50, p<.001), political efficacy (r=.32, p<.001) and media usage (r=.14, p=.022). Political interest (β=.43) was the factor most influential on political participation, explaining 25% of the variance. A total of 32% of political participation was explained by political interest, political efficacy, and TV news or SNS for media use. Conclusion: The results suggest that it is necessary to develop strategies to promote political interest and political efficacy for hospital nurses to improve political participation.

Two types of social media influencers play an important role in political communication: those who hardly post political content in addition to their regular content (i.e., social media influencers; SMIs) and those who specifically focus on political content (i.e., political social media influencers; PSMIs). To shed light on the difference between the two types, we conducted a comparative cross-sectional survey examining the relationship between following SMIs and PSMIs on young adults’ political efficacy and political participation in Austria, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, and Serbia. Moreover, we investigated how young adults’ eudaimonic motivation regarding SMIs’ content moderates these relations. Findings showed that following PSMIs, but not following SMIs, is positively associated with young adults’ political efficacy in all countries but Serbia. Additionally, in all countries, young adults’ political efficacy was positively related to their intention to participate in politics. Also, following PSMIs was positively related to participation in Austria and Hong Kong. Eudaimonic motivation played a limited role as moderator. Implications of these findings are discussed in the specific context of each country, providing valuable insights for future research on the role of PSMIs in shaping young adults’ political efficacy and political participation.

With the backdrop of women's political progress in recent decades, this study was designed to answer two related questions. First, is there a gender gap in political participation among young males and females with similar educational background and equal access to political news and information? Second, how do factors such as news consumption, political efficacy, and political discussion interact with the relationship between gender and political participation? Through a survey of university students in Singapore, this study showed that females were less politically knowledgeable, less politically efficacious, and less likely to engage in political discussion and in offline and online political activities than males. Results further showed that females depended on political efficacy and discussion, whereas males were more likely to be motivated by political efficacy in their political participation. News consumption on the new and social media platforms also appeared to contribute to political participation for both males and females. Implications of this study were discussed.

Exploring a Curatorial Turn in Journalism

This study explores the influence of political marketing activities via social media including customers’ relationship building and visibility on political participation in Lebanon. Moreover, the study examines the mediating effect of political efficacy and the moderating effect of political interest on the relationship between political marketing via social media and political participation. A Quantitative survey method was used to achieve the current research objectives based on data derived from 412 respondents. The findings of this study indicate that customers relationship building and visibility via social media are positively associated with political efficacy but not with political participation. Additionally, political efficacy fully mediates the relationship among these variables and political participation. The findings also reveal that political interest moderates the relationship between these variables and political participation. This study adds to the body of marketing literature the impact of political marketing on political participation in a unique political environment such as Lebanon. Moreover, this study guides both political marketing and political candidates about the influential factors of political participation in order for them to plan for the required actions to enhance political participation

This study examine the roles of internal and collective political efficacy across different forms of political participation, with a focus on how generative AI, used as a digital engagement tool by governments, influences citizens' political interest, knowledge, efficacy, and participation. The findings reveal that internal political efficacy significantly promotes political participation, especially non-institutionalized participation, while collective political efficacy plays a more limited role. The government's use of generative AI improves access to policy information and political participation opportunities. However, its impact on political efficacy depends on whether online engagement leads to real policy responsiveness. Policy responsiveness plays a key role in enhancing efficacy and sustained participation. This study shows that political efficacy is influenced by both individual cognition and external factors, highlighting the need for digital government strategies to combine innovation with effective policy feedback to better engage citizens.

M ANY SCHOLARS BELIEVE that a political system cannot operate effectively in the absence of some minimal level of loyalty or allegiance on the part of its citizens. Indeed, the very existence of a political system, and the effectiveness of authoritative decisionmaking within that system, are thought to be imperilled by the presence of widespread discontent among citizens. On the other hand, numerous empirical studies have reported relatively weak correlations between expressions of political discontent and participation in or approval of unconventional behaviors, including political protest and violence.' One of the most theoretically appealing propositions is that of Gamson, who contends, ". . . a combination of high sense of political efficacy and low political trust is the optimum combination for mobilization a belief that influence is both possible and necessary."2 While this hypothesis has received some degree of confirmation in certain circumstances, it generally has failed to account for differences in individual political behavior.3 However, there are theoretical reasons to suspect that the Gamson

COVID-19 pandemic has piqued the research interest of medical professionals and social scientists. In social sciences COVID-19 based political campaigns and trends on social media have extended their implications in the domain of political communication. The dissemination of COVID-19 news on social media is widespread, however, the political factors influencing the spread of such news are less discussed. To explore these factors, we evaluated empirical data from 390 social media users in Pakistan by applying PLS-SEM modeling. Snowball sampling was implied to collect the data. Political interest, partisanship, political knowledge, and political efficacy were incorporated as antecedents of COVID-19 news sharing on social media. Major findings show political interest as the most significant antecedent of COVID-19 news sharing followed by political knowledge and partisanship. However, political efficacy did not display any significant influence on participants’ intentions of sharing COVID-19 news via social media. Based on the findings, theoretical and policy implications are suggested. Keywords: Social Media; COVID-19 News Sharing; Political Interest; Partisanship; Political Knowledge; Political Efficacy

This study investigates the behavioral and perceptual factors that influence the political perspectives of residents in Bangkok, Thailand. In an era of rapid digital transformation and evolving civic engagement, traditional demographic determinants of political orientation are being increasingly supplemented by dynamic influences, including media consumption, political participation, trust in information sources, and individual interest in politics. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected from 400 respondents using a stratified random sampling technique across all 50 districts of Bangkok. A structured questionnaire was used to measure six key independent variables: political news consumption, political participation, trust in political information sources, perceived political efficacy, social media usage for political engagement, and interest in national politics. Multiple regression analysis was applied to examine the predictive power of these variables on political perspective. The results revealed that interest in national politics, political participation, trust in political information, and news consumption had a significant influence on political perspectives. At the same time, social media usage showed a marginal effect, and perceived efficacy had no significant impact. These findings suggest that in Bangkok's urban context, political attitudes are shaped more by active engagement and trust in information than by one’s self-perceived influence over political processes. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on political behavior in Southeast Asia, highlighting the importance of fostering credible information environments and participatory opportunities to support democratic development. Implications for civic education, media policy, and future research are also discussed.

In accordance with international conventions the Sámi is an indigenous group belonging to two populations and two overlapping civil societies within one nation state. This situation not only influences Sámi political interests and activities in general, but it also affects the individual Sámi's political orientation and decisions. Nevertheless, no thorough study has been conducted, on the individual level, of Sámi political participation and involvement. We know neither how political attitudes and participation vary within this group, nor how it varies in relation to the Norwegian population in general. Thus we know practically nothing about how recent institutional developments have influenced Sámi citizenship. This article looks closely at variations in political involvement and participation amongst Sámi and non-Sámi living in Norway's Sámi language management area, and compares this with political involvement and participation amongst the Norwegian population in general. The Citizenship Survey shows that in terms of political interest and participation, the Sámi living in the Sámi language management area are on par with others living there, and with Norwegians in general. In several important political areas the Sámi actually show significantly more interest and involvement than Norwegians in general. Furthermore, Sámi political trust and self-confidence are as high as in the general population, and we have not uncovered any particular marginalisation with respect to women and young people's interest and participation. There is much to suggest that our findings measure not only the Sámi's combined political interest and participation, but also their degree of participation and interest in the Norwegian political system. We do not find a picture of Sámi political segregation, nor of an extensive marginalisation. The findings point towards strong integration in the Norwegian political system, with Norwegian and Sámi public space and civil societies overlapping rather than being competitive or even antagonistic.

Young people are heavily present on social media. Social media is not only used for peer communication, socialization and entertainment consumption, but also has an informative component, providing constant access to updates on current news. This study aims to understand how young people living in Portugal use social media to consume news. The study adopts a qualitative approach. Data was collected through 18 focus group sessions with young people aged 15 to 29. The study population is divided into three phases of youth: adolescents (aged 15 to 19), emerging adults (aged 20 to 24) and young adults (aged 25 to 29), to analyze consumption according to the different stages of youth. The results show that young people of all ages consume news mostly on social media, either actively (choosing to follow news pages and seeking to receive news content) or passively (news content reaches individuals by chance through recommendations from platforms or shares from friends). Depending on the life stage of the young person, differences in news consumption can be found on other platforms or media. It is worth noting that the main social media platforms where young people consume news are Instagram, X/Twitter, TikTok and Facebook (for young adults). Different platforms generate distinct consumption dynamics and source preferences. Young people value political news topics that directly affect their lives. The presentation format is a crucial criterion for younger audiences, highlighting the importance of audiovisual components and short, catchy content. This work also offers suggestions for future research based on the results.

Given the pervasiveness of social media in our contemporary communication environment, this paper explored the aptitude of social media use for political information in empowering the wired youth with more diverse political information which is deemed as key precursor of political participation. To be more specific, this paper examined how the utilisation of political information on social media predicts political knowledge, political efficacy, and different modes of political participation (offline, online, and cyber) of the Net Generation. There were 379 Malaysian students aged between 18 and 24, who depend extensively on social media platforms as their primary reservoir of political news and information took part in a self-administered online survey questionnaire. Among the key findings of the current study are: (i) political informational use of social media predicts political efficacy but not political knowledge; (ii) political informational use of social media predicts offline, online, and cyber political participation via political efficacy; (iii) political knowledge does not predict political participation; meanwhile (iv) political efficacy predicts political participation. All in all, political informational use of social media holds the most potent positive effect on political efficacy.