The role of Social media in the Formation of Filipino

Political Attitudes

GROUP 4

LAGATA, RUSSELL

MABUTE, ZOREN

MORALES, APRIL JOY

MOLLENO PEARL ANN

MAÑABO, MA. RITA

Institute of Education, Colegio De Montalban

GE 4- The Contemporary World

Final Major Requirement

June 5, 2023
 Abstract

The role of social media in the formation of Filipino political attitudes is a complex and

multifaceted issue. On one hand, social media has provided a platform for Filipinos to express their opinions

and engage in political discourse. It has given a voice to marginalized groups and allowed them to connect

with others who share their views.

On the other hand, social media has also been used to spread misinformation, propaganda, and hate

speech. It has been manipulated by politicians and other groups to influence public opinion and shape

political outcomes. The spread of fake news and disinformation has led to a polarized political climate and

a lack of trust in traditional media sources.

Social media has also been used to mobilize political movements, as seen in the case of the 2016

Philippine presidential election. Supporters of different candidates used social media to organize rallies,

spread their messages, and engage with potential voters.

Overall, the role of social media in the formation of Filipino political attitudes is complex and

constantly evolving. While it has given a voice to marginalized groups and allowed for greater political

engagement, it has also been used to spread misinformation and manipulate public opinion. It is important

for individuals to critically evaluate the information they encounter on social media and to engage in

respectful and informed political discourse.

 Conceptual Framework

The study utilized the social network perspective to examine the role and interpersonal

communication networks on the political participation of the youth.

Youth social media use Political communication networks

Number of social media platforms Network closeness

used

Daily social media access Relationship Diversity

Number of social media friends Network communication

Network size

Network Expertise
 Introduction

The new paradigm of social media in contemporary poaches serves as new medium for change and

development, social media as tool to help Filipino youth today to be politically aware in using the modes

of social media as a medium to connect to the virtual community it serves as a new way to be totally

knowledgeable to what is happening in our country. The internet based is totally is the generation of cyber

netizens were every mode inclined to technology, internet based is totally inclined to their existence, there

everyday living surrounds with the virtual community that helps them to be engage and learn the language

of human spirit.

Towards the changing environment technology becomes the necessity of man, social networking

system becomes a need not only wants for each and every individual. Social media plays a private role in

everyday lives because of the need to belong. It definitely changes the holistic a way of political attention

to our country it helps Filipinos to shape their mind towards their capacity of the role of social media in the

formation of Filipino political attitudes.

This paper argues that social media play supporting roles in mediating political communication

between members of the public politicians and political parties. Alongside with traditional media, social

media provides alternatives avenue for political communications, make it more direct and interactive. Using

social media, members of the public can now be easier to target public officials and politicians to convey

their aspiration ideas and criticism over political issues and agenda. Despite social media use for political

communication purposes provides benefits to members of the public, however it also provides

disadvantages for them as the user of this media platform.

This paper therefore will critically discuss the use of social media for political communication.

Firstly, it will outline what social media its differences from traditional media, and its roles in political

communication. Secondly it will address the potential advantages and disadvantages for audience when

politicians use this media platform to bypass traditional media.

 Body

Social media and democracy in the Philippines

The digitalization of almost every aspect of civic life has brought forth a new constitutional

moment. The hyper-connectivity of peoples in the digital space has put a new spotlight on the importance

of constitutional rights such as free speech and press freedom. Indeed, the central role of social media in

contemporary society, particularly its ability to foster community political engagement, has heightened

appreciation for democracy itself. For Filipinos the use of social media in the context of democratic

consolidation is exceptionally remarkable because for the past four years the Philippines has topped social

media users worldwide. They rank first globally in internet usage with an average daily screen time of 10

hours. And almost half of the adult population use the internet. But more importantly, a third of the 61

million-strong Philippine electorates are from the 18-35 age bracket, where perhaps the majority of social

media users actually belong. It is therefore imperative that Filipinos now undergo a critical examination of

the interplay of social media and democracy because in two years they will be participating in a volatile

and divisive political battle, the 2022 presidential election. Pertinently, CNN Philippines, through its Digital

Disinformation Tracker research project, deployed a team of academics to monitor online conversations

relating to the midterm elections in 2019. And one of their findings was that practically all candidates used

various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to promote themselves and their

political agendas. This will likely happen again in 2022. ostensibly, social media enabled otherwise under-

resourced citizens to run for public office. For instance, a majority of the 62 candidates in the 2019

senatorial race did not have nationwide popularity nor the proper election machinery to implement a

conventional political campaign. Many of these relatively unknown candidates professed that social media

platforms have afforded them the chance to raise their profile with minimal cost.  

Social media popularity not a guarantee

This apparent democratizing effect of social media then raises the question of whether a strong

presence in social media equates to electoral success? first-time candidate Willie Ong is a good case study.
At the time of the election, he had around 10 million followers on Facebook. As per the final and official

tally of election returns, “Doc Willie”, as he was known by his social media followers, garnered only

about 7.6 million votes. This was not enough to get one of the 12 seats up for grabs. The candidate who got

the 12th seat tallied 14.5 million votes while the one who took the top spot received 25.2 million votes. One

possible reason why some popular online personalities did not perform well in the election was that Filipino

voters pretty much stuck to their echo chambers in cyberspace. There was no effort from the various

political sides to “reach across the aisle” so to speak. Each side was only keen to promote their respective

narratives while equally determined to suppress the claims of the others.

Toxic environment in social media

The problem with an “isolationist mindset” is how easily it can evolve into an “us versus them”

mentality. Factor in the anonymity the internet affords, it is not surprising that interaction in social media

can become really vitriolic quickly. In fact, another finding of the CNN Philippines research project was

how “toxic” online discourse amongst the various political groups in social media was during the entire

election period. negative campaigning is part and parcel of any electoral exercise. Pointing out the faults

and flaws of opposing candidates is not unusual and in fact, helps voters in evaluating whom to vote for.

According to veteran journalist and news anchor, Christian Esguerra, who covered the midterm election

closely, “social media seemed to be a top weapon of choice for campaign disinformation, complementing

old-school negative propaganda on the ground”.  Begging the question of whether more stringent measures

regulating online political advocacies should be adopted? A move that ironically could be viewed as

undemocratic being a curtailment of free speech. Indeed, social media in the democratic context poses a

huge dilemma for many democracies around the world. Negative campaigning, fake news, and other modes

of disinformation on the web are preventing people from having an honest-to-goodness deliberation of

urgent issues that impact everyone. This absence of open public discussion then enables purveyors of these

types of unscrupulous tactics to put more garbage on the internet. Poisoning the well even further to the

severe detriment of frequent social media users like Filipinos.

Social media community response

Clearly, social media significantly impacts the trajectory of Philippine democracy. When utilized

the right way, the “connectivity” it fosters can enhance political engagement within the polity, which then

can elevate the level of political consciousness of citizens. But given the fluidity and dynamism of digital

technology, finding the “right way” is inevitably a process of reinvention. for starters, internet-savvy

Filipinos must accept that more open dialogue and genuine deliberation about political issues are beneficial

to the democratic growth of the country. The government, on the other hand, must fully recognize that

technology itself plays a huge role in protecting and upholding the constitutional rights of Filipinos in the

digital world. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the government to keep pace with technological

developments and recalibrate cyberspace-related policies accordingly.

The truth of the matter though is understanding that the effects of digitalization on democratic

values, such as freedom of speech and rule of law are still ongoing. But threats to democratic institutions

brought forth by digital technologies continue to evolve. Hence, civil society, the business sector (including

tech companies that own social media platforms), and governments must persist with good faith discourse

on this very issue to make sure that social media enhances democracy, not undermines it.

Conclusion

Taking everything into account, Communication platform such as social media is persuasive, and

often works to change or influence opinions when it comes to political views because of the abundance of

ideas, thoughts, and opinions circulating through the social media platform.

The social media platforms provide information to the public by its reporting of and commentary

upon the proceedings within the Parliament, the operations of the Government, and the views and alternate

policies of the Opposition.

All of these activities rely on access to information. demand that decision-makers defend their

stance. No doubt that social media has had a significant impact on the Philippines.
 On the positive side, social media has given Filipinos a platform to share their stories and connect

with people from all over the world. It has also been a valuable tool for promoting democracy and free

speech.
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