Examining the roles of social media use and connections to public actors on democratic engagement: An analysis of young adults in three Asian societies

Abstract

Social media platforms not only provide young adults exposure to information about political and social affairs, but also opportunities to curate connections with influential public actors that can engender greater public expression and participation in civic life. We examine these dynamics using probability surveys of young adults in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Results across the three samples showed that social media connections with journalists and activists were positively related to exposure to and sharing of public affairs content. Sharing public affairs content on social media in turn was related to greater willingness to speak out about political and social issues beyond the social media platforms. These experiences further empower youth to engage in civic participation. This study elucidates the importance of public actors on social media as socialization agents for youth that can engender subsequent public expression and civic participation across societies with different political and media systems.