Since ancient times, propaganda and misleading information have been powerful tools in manipulating political outcomes and swaying ever-volatile public opinions. With the rise of social media in the 21st century, online literacy has become not just a skill but a necessity for any politically involved person.
One could argue that social media began on May 24, 1844, when Samuel Morse first sent a series of Morse code messages from Baltimore to Washington, D.C., via telegraph. Nearly two centuries later, social media has rapidly evolved from a form of direct communication to a consumer-based system of marketing and gathering of information. In addition, widespread access to social media has adapted with the creation of the iPhone, launched by Steve Jobs in 2007. What was previously limited to a stationary desktop or laptop became mobile and high-speed. With widely accessible cellular service, social media has moved beyond homes and into businesses, schools, and public spaces. Improved mobile cameras forced social media to switch from communicating written messages to centering on photos and videos. The political impacts of these developments have been severe.
Social media is full of drawbacks in politics because it has become fertile ground for false information, moderation difficulties, and political polarization. Platforms have long been built for mass engagement, and misinformation creates the environment where clickbait headlines spread like wildfire before fact-checking can be done. The primary issue is that the damage of inaccurate information stays with users long after a post is corrected or removed. Platforms like Meta and X have attempted to create moderation protocols, but received negative feedback from users reporting unreliability and political biases. Meta officially cancelled its fact-checking program in 2025, with the weight of spotting misinformation entirely dumped upon its users.
In terms of political campaigns, social media increases the direct access that candidates have to voters, boosts engagement in political events and updates, and creates cheaper outreach that reaches a greater population. An example of the political utilization of social media is how President Trump used Twitter (now X) during the 2016 presidential primaries. He shared provocative opinions that quickly went viral, gathering legions of followers while forgoing traditional media formats.
On the other hand, social media algorithms are potent weapons that can cocoon an unsuspecting user into an isolated state of political polarization. Every time a user engages with a post, whether it be a cooking video or a hard-leaning political opinion, the platform serves more of the same. The feedback loop circles until you are stuck in an ‘echo chamber’ that reverberates the same views over and over again. Social media consumers are encouraged to break free from the self-serving cycle by seeking diverse perspectives from various sources – reading newspapers, having conversations, etc–and exposing themselves to different opinions.
It has become increasingly easy to surround yourself and interact with people and media that share your views. It is easy to agree, it is easy to have things in common, and it is easy to avoid discomfort. What is challenging is having difficult conversations and sitting with perspectives that challenge our own. Your opinion will most likely remain the same, but having the exposure to diverse sources will make your view that much better supported.
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