This document analyzes the role of social media in politics. It discusses how social media has become an essential tool for political mobilization, campaigning, and propaganda. Social media helps activists organize protests, politicians campaign for office, and groups spread their messages. While not single-handedly causing political change, social media provides new opportunities for participation and has influenced many political events and outcomes in recent years.

1. SOCIAL MEDIA:
Essential, Influential and Equitable Political Tool
Analytical Study of the
Role Social Media Plays in Politics
By: Ziad Jaser Durra
11-Jan-2015

2. Social Media is an
Essential, Influential and Equitable Political Tool
By: Ziad Jaser Durra
1. Introduction
The Internet has revolutionized the way most people live. It has become an integral part of our
economic, political, and social lives, altering the way we purchase goods, the way we bank, and
the way we communicate with one another. The number of internet users have grown from ten
million in 1993 to three billions in 2014. People use online social media regularly to stay
connected to their family and friends and pursue interests and hobbies.
Advancement in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) , evolution of the
Internet Web2.0 technology and the innovation of mobile technology have quickly developed
social media into an important way to influence society. Social media has changed the way
people communicate, it have helped make real the idea of a “global village”. The power of
social media to affect society is based on its social aspects which means interaction and
participation1
.
Previous studies conducted on social media use presented Social Media as a tool that
would motivate and deepen the relationship between citizens and politicians. Other studies
have focused attention on the loss of control over information, the lack of citizens’ interest in
general politics and the remaining inequalities of Internet access. According to David Phillips
who explored the growth of social media sites, success in politics is now highly influenced by
the online activities of political institutions, they can exchange views on the latest political
developments or hot topics, inviting the public to comment and follow their political programs.
David concluded that we have entered an entirely new and exciting era of politics, the internet
has totally revolutionized the practice of public relations.2
Kathy Cohen, who studies youth utilization of social media, pointed out that social media
provides expanded opportunities for political engagement for youth and marginalized groups,
facilitated through the culture of sharing and participation. She concluded that social media has
the potential to facilitate an equitable distribution of political participation among people from
different racial and ethnic groups3
.
1
Suomen Toivo -Think Tank, “Social Media : The New Power of Political Influence,” Brussels: Centre for European
Studies, Ver. 1, (2012), p5
2
David Phillips and Philip Young, Online Public Relations, (London: Koger Page Limited, 2
nd
edition, 2009)
3
Cathy J. Cohen and Joseph Kahne , New Media and Youth Political Action (University of Chicago. MacArthur
Foundation’s Digital Media and Learning Initiative, 2012).

3. To shed-light on the power of social media as political tool, this study explored illustrative
cases of effective use of Social Media since 2011, for political mobilization, election
campaigning, war propaganda and public diplomacy. The research examined the hypotheses
that with the advancement in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), evolution of
the Internet, innovation in mobile technology and the rapid increase in the number of Internet
users, Social Media became an influential and powerful political tool that provides equal
opportunities for the rich and the poor.
2. Social Media Role in Politics
2.1. What is Social Media?
The Oxford Dictionary defines Social Media as “Websites and applications that enable users to
create and share content or to participate in social networking.” For the purpose of this study,
the term Social Media refers to Web 2.0 media platforms and internet sites and services. Sites
and Services such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, LinkedIn and YouTube that allow users to create,
share, rate and search for content and information. Social Media sites allow users to post, share
and comments on subjects of interest with the ability to publish articles, pictures and videos.
These tools become ‘social’ in the sense that they are created in ways that enable users to
share and communicate with one another.4
Social Media participatory and interactive
characteristics, provides tools that empower people to have a more direct and personal
participation in the formal political process. It have been used to trigger and initiate social
change, change in the governments and societies.
Social media tools can take different forms and fulfill a variety of needs, social media tools are
generally available to anyone at little cost. Social Media tools enable private/public individuals
to publish or access information. They have the capability to reach small or large audiences and
they are capable of providing immediate responses if the participants chose to.
2.2. Social Media as Tool for Political Mobilization
Since the rise of the Internet in the early 1990s, the world's online population has grown from
millions to billions. In the same time, social media have become essential part of civil society
work around the world, involving regular citizens, activists, nongovernmental organizations and
governments. As the communications landscape gets more participatory, the networked
population is gaining greater access to information, more opportunities to engage in public
4
Narnia Bohler-Muller and Charl van der Merwe, “The potential of social media” (African Institute of S. Africa,
Policy Briefing no. 46, MARCH 2011).

4. speech, and an enhanced ability to undertake collective action.5
Web social media, have
energized and strengthened activism, allowing activists to group together by providing channels
of communication and tools for quick exchange of ideas, group creation and protest
mobilization.6
Social Media role in rallying protesters and generating support from both domestic and
international sources stared from the ground, allowing political activists to document
governmental abuses, disseminate information and communicate their demands for change to
government leaders. Social Media effects started before protestors started demonstrating in
the streets. The Internet has quietly but profoundly shifted the people perceptions of their
government and increased their desire to act or organize. The Internet, together with related
technologies, has been revolutionary for information dissemination. It has drastically and
rapidly transformed how information is packaged; how quickly and at what cost that
information can be distributed. This has resulted in the most rapid democratization of
communication in history.7
Social Media have become a powerful coordinating tools for nearly all of the world's political
movements. Several protests demanding change around the world were organized with help of
social media. Protest movements including a movement against fundamentalist vigilantes in
India in 2009, the beef protests in South Korea in 2008, and protests against education laws in
Chile in 2006, have used social media not as a replacement for real-world action but as a way
to coordinate it. This obviously does not mean that every political movement that uses these
tools will succeed, because the state has not lost the power to react. In Moldova, the
Communist Party lost power in 2009 when massive protests coordinated in part through social
media broke out after an obviously fraudulent election.8
In the spring of 2011, revolutions swept the Middle East, from Tunisia, to Egypt, to Syria and
beyond. Startling images captured by civilians and distributed through Social Media were
viewed by people around the world. Tunisia's population of 10 million people, known for their
high levels of education and civic pride, became the first people in the Arab world to take to the
streets and oust their president. During the first two weeks of the protest, Tunisia witnessed a
sudden eight percent surge in the number of Facebook users coupled with a shift in the usage
turned from merely social in nature into primarily political.9
During the week before Mubarak’s resignation, the total rate of tweets from Egypt and around
the world about political change in that country increased from 2,300 a day to 230,000 a day.
5
Clay Shirky , “The Political Power of Social Media,” The Council on Foreign Relations, (Feb. 2011),
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/print/66987
6
Bogdan Patrut¸ Monica Patrut¸ Vasile Alecsandri, “Social Media in Politics: Case Studies on the Political Power of
Social Media,” Springer Cham Heidelberg, (2014).
7
Catie Bailard, “The Other Facebook Revolution,” The Council on Foreign Relations, (2014),
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/print/139655
8
Shirky, “The Political Power of Social Media.”
9
Rita Safranek, “Social Media & Regime Change,” ProQuest Discovery Guides, (March 2012),
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/discoveryguides-main.php

5. Videos featuring protest and political commentary went viral receiving nearly 5.5 million views.
The amount of content produced online by opposition groups increased dramatically.10
The
chain of events leading to the transition of power in Egypt was quite intense and social media
played a central role in the most significant change in the Arab Spring.11
While social media helped political activates to organize protests and easily communicate with
followers, it is naive to say social media was the only thing that influenced Arab Spring
revolutions.12
Social media is not the only driving force behind political change, research
suggests that protests, when effective, are the end of a process, rather than a replacement for
it. For people who have felt powerless against repressive regimes, social media enabled political
activist to level the political playing field to become one of the most important components of
any successful revolution.13
2.3. Social Media as Tool for Electoral Campaigning
Social Media has been used in political campaigns to spread messages, to inform and engage
voters. Earlier studies tried to state the importance and limitations of Social media tools to
improve the relations between political actors and their constituents. Success in politics has
become highly influenced by the online activities of political actors.
Through Social Media tools, politicians can exchange views on the latest political developments
and invite citizens to comment and support their political programs.14
Studies of citizen voting
habits have shown that decisions are not usually based on one-step communication. it is more
based on two-step communication, which means conversation with opinion leaders, colleagues,
friends and acquaintances who can either strengthen or weaken the voter’s opinion.15
Barack Obama’s 2008 US presidential campaign has often been described as the first electoral
campaign in which the use of social media had a decisive impact. The core of the web-based
campaign was a well-designed, versatile and dynamic website.16
2.3.1. 2012 U.S State of Virginia 2nd
District Elections
In the second district of Virginia candidates used Social Media tools to motivate and activate
their supporters and to differentiate themselves in front of their constituents. Releasing the
potential of the interaction capabilities Social Media provides, politicians utilized these tools to
10
Ibid.
11
Suomen Toivo -Think Tank, “Social Media : The New Power of Political Influence,” p5.
12
Safranek, “Social Media & Regime Change.”
13
Safranek, “Social Media & Regime Change.”
14
Pa˘trut et al¸ “Foreword: Social Media in Politics: Case Studies on the Political Power of Social Media,” p 88
15
Julia Caplan, “Social Media and Politics: Twitter use in Virginia,” The Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in
Communications, Vol. 4, No. 1 , (Spring 2013), p12,13.
16
TOIVO -Think Tank, “Social Media : The New Power of Political Influence,” P4.

6. their advantage. Candidates were able to get a direct link between them and the public,
enabling politicians to differentiate themselves from their competitor.17
Social media can influence an entire social structure and inspire change in behavior. Effective
use of Twitter’s location and activity posts have inspired citizens to take an active part in the
candidates’ campaign. Social Media has the power to influence attitudes about politicians, set
agendas, and impact the election results.18
Social Media is an influential political tool that can activate and motivate supporters. Where
election campaigns can target a specific audience, increase their financial base and attract new
voters. Social media helps candidates in reaching the public through a more personal and
intimate venue, the type of venue that television and radio ads interaction limitations does not
provide.19
2.3.2. 2012 U.S. Presidential elections
Political engagement on Social Media sites is rapidly increasing. Many campaign workers
believe that the use of social media has played a significant role in inviting young people to vote
in the 2012 U.S. presidential election. With the constant postings of political messages, photos,
and feedback, Obama and Romney campaigns utilized these personal and interactive tools to
attract young voter’s attention. Young voters utilized social media to gathered information
about candidates. Voters on Social Media can enter forums and discussion through Social
Media sites and voice their opinion freely.20
According to Pew Internet Project’s Research, that was conducted in the United Sates in 2012,
92% of individuals between 18 and 29 years, are actively engaged with Social Media sites. 30%
of registered voters were encouraged to vote for either candidate by friends and family
through postings on the Social Media sites. Individuals stay connected to people they know
through Social Media sites and they feel they can trust postings of friends and family on social
media sites more than watching television. Obama’s victory post was one of the most “liked”
photo on Facebook. Over four million Social Media users felt part the historic presidential
election.21
2.3.3. 2013 India Presidential elections
Social media played an important role in the 2013 Presidential elections in India. For the first
time in India’s history, social media has played such an important role. According to election
experts the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) realized the power of Social Media in the elections’
campaign and they have utilized Social Media tools to their advantage. Social media was one
main communication channels the BJP utilized in their campaign. The BJP's organized an
17
Caplan, “Social Media and Politics: Twitter use in Virginia.”
18
Ibid
19
Ibid
20
Katie Kennedy, “’Use it or Lose it:’ Social Media in the 2012 US Election,” The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting,
(February 22, 2013), http://pulitzercenter.org/node/11791
21
Ibid.

7. effective Social Media campaign that is considered to be one of the primary factors in their
election victory in 2013.22
Social Media effectiveness in India grow with the rapid increase in the Internet users in India,
where it increased by 31 percent from 2012 to 2013, reaching around 74 million in 2013. India's
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gained millions of followers during the election campaign,
reached out to youth through his Social Media, Twitter account. While experts believes that
social media played an important role in the BJP’s victory, they acknowledged it was only a tool
that BJP included in their strategy to spread their political message and agenda.23
Social media alone can’t win elections, Social media provided means for high differentiation of
political information and encouraged involvement in debates and feedback between leaders
and followers. Its tools can be used in at the three levels: local, parliamentary and presidential
elections.24
2.4. Social Media as a Tool for War Propaganda
The Internet ability to cross borders made an effective tool of warfare propaganda. W are now
seeing wars in places like Syria, Iraq and Palestine broadcast online. The rise in live Social Media
blogs covering live events such as the latest 2014-Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza, has led to a
greater reliance by journalists on social media for access to steady real time information
streaming.25
2.4.1. Social Media use by the Palestinian People
The Palestinian have utilized Social Media as tool for public Diplomacy. The imbalance in power
in Military and Economic resources between the Palestinian and Israeli in the 2014 military
conflict, was reflected in the strength and resources of the Israel social media troops.26
The Palestinian and their supporters around the world flooded Social Media sites, Twitter,
YouTube and Facebook with posts seeking to win the hearts and minds of people in the Middle
East and elsewhere in the world.27
The Palestinian posted images and videos of distressing
pictures of injured children, funerals and the destruction of homes caused by the Israeli
aggression.28
22
Idrees Ali, “Social Media Played Big Role in India’s Election,” Voice of America, (June 06, 2014),
http://www.voanews.com/content/social-media-emerges-as-a-key-tool-in-indias-election/1931238.html
23
Ibid.
24
Ibid.
25
Sarah Fowler, “Hamas and Israel step up cyber battle for hearts and minds,” BBC News (15 July 2014 Last
updated at 06:57 GMT), http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28292908
26
Harriet Sherwood, “Israel and Hamas clash on social media,” The Guardian, (Wednesday 16 July 2014 18.18 BST),
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/16/israel-hamas-clash-social-media.
27
Fowler, “Hamas and Israel step up cyber battle for hearts and minds.”
28
Ibid

8. During the 2014 war with Israel, Hamas have used social media in the propaganda war29
. Hamas
have employed increasingly sophisticated methods and techniques to try to build support for its
cause.30
Aimed at the international community and journalists the English-language, Izz alDin
alQassam Brigades, Hamas' Military wing, utilized Social Media to provide updates on casualties
resulting from Israeli air strikes and reports on rocket activities.
Hamas, who has become more sophisticated in its use of social media, have targeted
journalists to get news coverage and reach a wider overseas audience. Hamas propaganda
efforts to turn Israelis against their government, has posted a video message that shiver the
Israel's security, showing Hamas fighters making, transporting and firing rockets. On the other
hand, Hamas has also hacked Israeli social media pages to warn Israelis about its military
intentions.31
2.4.2. Social Media use by Israel
The Israeli Government have utilized Social Media as a tool for war propaganda. During the
2014 war on Gaza Israel has disseminated information to try to spread a positive image about
Israel, to overcome the negative publicity it received and to face the boycott movements
against Israel. Israel has taken to Social Media to denounce the Palestinian with “blatantly
distorted” propaganda.32
The Israeli government have provided scholarships for local university students to advocate for
Israel in Social Media. Utilizing “Zionist” groups around the world such as the World Union of
Jewish Students, Jewish National Fund, Jewish Agency, World Jewish Congress and Stand With
Us, the Israeli government coordinated social media efforts to disseminate propaganda
information out and make sure it goes viral.33
Before the 2014 war on Gaza, the Israeli
Government has recruited hundreds of students to assist in a “public diplomacy” campaign.
More than 400 students ran social media accounts in five languages (English, Arabic, Spanish,
Portuguese and German). Under the Prime Minister Office direction, these individuals, some
paid, operate openly and covertly to promote Israel's interests and improve its image around
the world.34
Aiming its information/propaganda at the mainstream media and the public in general. The
“Israel Defense Forces” (IDF) utilized an official Twitter account “@IDFspokesperson)” to
distribute in English information about military activities and data on air strikes and rocket
launches. To maximize the Israeli propaganda outreach, Israel utilized the “#WorlCup” and”
#GERvsARG” “hashtags” to distribute its version of information about the Gaza war to World
cup fans.35
29
Sherwood, “Israel and Hamas clash on social media.”
30
Fowler, “Hamas and Israel step up cyber battle for hearts and minds.”
31
Ibid
32
Sherwood, “Israel and Hamas clash on social media.”
33
Gil Hoffman, “Government to use citizens as army in social media war”, The Jerusalem Post (14/08/2013),
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Government-to-use-citizens-as-army-in-social-media-war-322972
34
Sherwood, “Israel and Hamas clash on social media.”
35
Sherwood, “Israel and Hamas clash on social media.”

9. 2.4.3. Social Media use by ISIS
The growth of jihadist activity on social media is in line with the wider use of this tool by people
in general, where governments’ oversight and control is limited. The Islamic State in Iraq and
Al-Sham (ISIS) is using Social Media to recruit fighters, spread its propaganda and gather
financial support. Attempts by governments to block ISIS from using social media have failed.36
ISIS utilized Twitter application called “Fajr al-Bashaer,” to broadcast ISIS produced propaganda
and military updates. ISIS affiliated Twitter accounts are engaged in Twitter “Hashtag”
campaigns, where thousands of ISIS supporters are tweeting ISIS “Hashtags”, in order to get
them to appear on a Twitter account that tweets the most trending “Hashtags” of the day. 37
ISIS have targeted Western Muslims through Social media propaganda. To promote its agenda,
ISIS is relying on advanced media production techniques. It produced and posted on Social
Media high-quality videos and articles to recruit fighters from around the world and spreading
fear. The group ensures that most of its media productions are translated and posted in
Western languages. ISIS broadcasted videos over Social Media were carried by local and
International news channels, which increased ISIS propaganda outreach and influence on
people around the world.38
2.5. Social Media as a Tool for Public Diplomacy
Social Media has become an outlet by which world leaders can communicate directly with
citizens all around the world, without the need of traditional news media as an intermediary
agent. Social media, and in particular Twitter, has emerged as an import new medium for
political communication. Leaders seeking to improve their countries stand on the world stage
and maintain political power, have strategically utilized social and mass media to their
advantage.39
According to Twiplomacy a website that tracks world leaders on social media, over 80% of
world leaders have an active social media account. Presidents and Prime Ministers of the most
powerful nations in the world, such as Barack Obama, David Cameron, Dmitry Medvedev.
Leaders from other countries such as Argentina, France, Ukraine, Tunisia, South Africa,
Philippines, Japan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan and Cuba have also Social Media accounts. Many of these
Leaders have Multilanguage accounts, Dmitry Medvedev, has an account in English
(@MedvedevRussiaE) and another in Russian (@MedvedevRussia). Most world leaders are
36
Mustapha Ajbaili, “How ISIS conquered social media,” Al Arabiya News, (24 June 2014),
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/digital/2014/06/24/How-has-ISIS-conquered-social-media-.html
37
Ajbaili, “How ISIS conquered social media.”
38
Ajbaili, “How ISIS conquered social media.”
39
Pablo Barber, Thomas Zeitzoff, “The Empirical Determinants of Social Media Adoption by World Leaders and its
Political Consequences,” New York University, (25-August-2014), https://files.nyu.edu/pba220/public/barbera-
zeitzoff-apsa-2014.pdf

10. active users on Social Media platforms and have large audiences, where US President account
“@BarackObama” have over 40 million followers.40
Leaders recognize the importance of communications in maintaining power and order. World
leaders use Social Media to communication with domestic and international audiences.
Targeting international audience, some Leaders promote specific aspects of their country, in
order to attract tourists, or improve the international image of the country. Other Leaders,
publicize policy positions about international relations, such as Russia’s Prime Minister in which
he announced Russia position on the Crimea crisis over Twitter. There are also cases of
“Twitter diplomacy” where Iranian president Hassan Rouhani used Twitter to post about the
Iranian’s nuclear negotiations.41
Internally world Leaders used Social Media to interact directly with their citizens and broadcast
information about the government’s daily agenda. US President Barack Obama and the White
House appear to be particularly successful at this. To provide a more personal feel, social media
is used by world leaders to provide information about their personal life, with pictures about
how they spend their leisure time with family.42
3. Conclusion
The advancement in Internet Technology and the rapid increase in Internet users have made
Social Media an essential, influential and powerful political tool. Social Media participatory and
interactive characteristics have made it an essential tool for political and social change. The
power of the Internet and its ability to overcome physical, economic, political, social, and
individual barriers, have made Social Media an integral part of modern society communication
habits. Social Media supports the human need for social interaction and knowledge and
information democratization, transforming people from content consumers into content
producers. Social Media provided people with alternatives and the freedom to choose.43
The participatory skills, norms, and networks that are developed through social media to
socialize with friends or to engage with people with the same interests can and are being
transferred to the political realm. The average individual has risen to the centre of digital
content production, sharing his own knowledge, wisdom and personal experiences with his
peers44
Political activists utilized social media tool such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and weblogs as
tools for organizing and generating awareness. Social media allows political activist to operate
40
Ibid.
41
Ibid.
42
Ibid
43
Patrut et al., “Social Media in Politics: Case Studies on the Political Power of Social Media
44
Ibid, Reference to Yochai Benkler, The Wealth of Networks. (Yale University Press, 2006).

11. with greater creativity and independence and to go across political borders. Social Media
provides individuals the capability to reach a sizable audience and mobilize others through their
social networks in an easy and inexpensive manner. Social media applications such as Twitter
have provided politicians with the tool to influence, inform, and engage their publics while
gathering feedback on political issues.45
45
Caplan, “Social Media and Politics.”