Article by Ach’sah Gubena, TPT Staff Writer

Do you find yourself constantly attached to social media platforms—such to a point that you see it impacting your political views? Social media’s influence on our daily lives has drastically changed over the years. Today, social media is a place people go to take time off from reality; however, what most don’t realize is that social media has, in fact, become the place where people create their own reality. From being a medium that sparks communication to the place that is acknowledged for starting huge social movements, social media plays a big factor on who we become. According to a November 2019 Pew Research study, social media was determined to be the primary source of political news for one in five US citizens. But does the social media platform you use really impact your political socialization–the process in which an individual is politically influenced through external forces?

Facebook and Instagram are one of the most used social media apps in the current day–beyond this usage, they also have been two out of three social media platforms, with regards to YouTube, credited for providing political news and insights. While they might share this similarity, the two are completely different platforms. One of these major differences being the demographics each app is measured to reach. Facebook is known more to the older generations, as users' ages range from 25 to 35. While Instagram obtains the younger audience, with ages ranging from 18 to 24. This is well known by political candidates and has even been a political tactic to win over a certain demographic. In an article published by the Washington Post, it was concluded that “Facebook played a critical role in the spread of false narratives that fomented the violence of Jan. 6.” Through what the article explains as “the barrage… [it] turned the groups into incubators for the baseless claims supporters of President Donald Trump voiced as they stormed the Capitol.” The credulousness of Facebook users had the power to form an insurrection against the US government; an incredibly dangerous power to shape our political beliefs.

Facebook is known to have very lenient policies regarding political ads. With loose regulations in place, it is much easier to spread misinformation throughout Facebook. As previous studies show, 11% of people aged 65 and older shared fake stories on Facebook during the 2016 election. This and many other cases open up the opportunity to conspiracy theories and lies. Facebook allows misinformation to be spread and does little to none to stop it. All these factors indefinitely play a key role into how the average Facebook user processes political news and reports. As we depict how younger audiences have a better time digesting information found on social media, it is inevitable that the gullibility of older users have been a weapon for altering attitudes and rising in the polls.

The views articulated in this piece are the writer’s own, and do not reflect the official stances of The Progressive Teen or High School Democrats of America.

Facebook vs. Instagram: Political Socialization