THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUTH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND POLITICAL AWARENESS: A CONCEPTUAL STUDY

Social media has become an important environment for communication, information exchange and public participation among young people. Platforms that allow users to create, share and discuss content can provide new opportunities for political awareness and civic engagement, while also creating challenges associated with misinformation, polarization and unequal access to reliable information. This conceptual study examines the relationship between social-media use, political awareness and civic engagement among youth. Drawing on existing scholarly literature, the paper discusses how exposure to political information, online discussion, digital campaigns and participatory communication may influence young people's understanding of public issues and their willingness to participate in civic activities. It also considers the role of digital literacy in determining whether social-media users can distinguish credible information from misleading or manipulated content. The study argues that social media should not be viewed as either inherently beneficial or harmful. Its social impact depends on the quality of information, patterns of participation, platform practices and users' critical media skills. The paper proposes that educational institutions, civil-society organizations and policymakers should strengthen digital and civic literacy so that young people can participate more effectively and responsibly in digital public life.