Social Media has for long been considered the fourth pillar of democracy owing to its potential to not just report what is happening around the world but to build a public opinion about the ongoing issues. The term ‘democracy’ implies the participation of people. Media facilitates this participation.
The emergence of social media, however, has changed the way in which people now participate in democracy. Compared to traditional media, social media has a larger reach, is easily accessible, enables mass participation and provides instant updates. These factors have led to a situation where people rely more on social media than their traditional counterparts, to become aware of their surroundings and participate in discussions- political, economic, or otherwise, which in turn strengthens democracy. However, social media does not have only positive implications on democracy. On the flip side of the coin, it has been misused a number of times, often becoming the antithesis of democracy. The following headings discuss the role played by social media in a democratic setup, both positive and negative.
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Social Media has for long been considered the fourth pillar of democracy owing to its potential to not just report what is happening around the world but to build a public opinion about the ongoing issues. The term ‘democracy’ implies the participation of people. Media facilitates this participation.
The emergence of social media, however, has changed the way in which people now participate in democracy. Compared to traditional media, social media has a larger reach, is easily accessible, enables mass participation and provides instant updates. These factors have led to a situation where people rely more on social media than their traditional counterparts, to become aware of their surroundings and participate in discussions- political, economic, or otherwise, which in turn strengthens democracy. However, social media does not have only positive implications on democracy. On the flip side of the coin, it has been misused a number of times, often becoming the antithesis of democracy. The following headings discuss the role played by social media in a democratic setup, both positive and negative.