The Role of Social Media in Shaping Political Culture: A Comparative Perspective

Abstract

This article examines the role of social media in shaping political culture in contemporary society. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X/Twitter have transformed political communication by enabling rapid information dissemination, direct interaction between citizens and political actors, and new forms of political mobilization. Drawing upon critical theory, public sphere theory, and existing scholarship on digital political communication, the article analyzes both the opportunities and challenges associated with social media as a political arena.

The study demonstrates that social media can strengthen democratic participation, broaden access to political discourse, and amplify marginalized voices. At the same time, these platforms may reproduce inequalities through algorithmic control, commercialization, disinformation, political polarization, and digital surveillance. The article concludes that social media has become a central yet ambivalent force in contemporary political culture, requiring critical awareness, media literacy, and appropriate democratic regulation to ensure its contribution to an inclusive and informed public sphere.