Social Media and Political Participation Among British Youth

Abstract

Scholars have long debated on youth political disengagement; its causes

and its solutions. Recent research (Gibson and Cantijoch 2013; Loader et

al. 2014; Xenos et al. 2014) has suggested that social media has become

a space where new forms of participation have been established. These

forms of participation are distinct and disassociated from traditional

participatory acts and institutions, proving to be more favourable among

young people. While current research has addressed social media’s

influence in facilitating new forms of participation, what has yet to be

established is whether participating in these forms encourages young

people to participate in traditional manners, such as voting. The aim of

this study, therefore, was to explore whether political experiences on

social media has encouraged young people to participate in traditional

manners. This study presents the findings of a thematic analysis of eight

semi-structured interviews, conducted with university students. The

results of the study show that having a prior interest in and knowledge of

politics is the key determinant in whether young people partake in

traditional participatory acts. This research highlights that social media

cannot encourage further participation for those who feel disconnected

and uninterested in politics and political issues, and that negative features

of social media, such as the ‘fear of aggression’, pose as serious

boundaries for young people when wanting to participate.