Introduction
The current and previous centuries have seen an unprecedented development in technology. Just a few decades ago, the idea that the entire world could be involved in instant spontaneous communication at all times seemed like an impossible dream. However, that dream is now a part of reality of almost every individual around the world in the form of social media. The gradual advancement of the internet led us to social media networks. The media that was initially used for entertainment and socializing soon began to evolve beyond its intended purpose as people became more and more aware of its potential. Soon it started to be utilized for various other purposes including political communication (Manrai, 1968). Though traditional media also has its positive and negative aspects, social media has been known to attract a much larger audience and with a lot more umph. Where traditional media focuses mostly on entertainment and domestic and international news, social media connects the people on an individual level. It allows them to share their views and to look at views of other people. Such acts promote a much stronger reaction from the targeted audience as it provides more elements for manipulation the opinions of the masses (Apuke, 2017). The use of social media for furthering political agendas offers an almost unlimited number of opportunities.
The ability of media networks over the internet to target the younger generation and attract a large audience with guaranteed anonymity is highly appealing in the political world. The expansion of networking tools has attracted a majority of the young generation. They have become so dependent on daily use of social media that now it is impossible to imagine a life without its presence. The ease of access to all sorts of information, entertainment, and communication appeals to the masses as they flock towards internet media. It provides them with an escape from the reality which seems dissatisfying in comparison. The allure of a perfect life portrayed on applications like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, etc. in the form of adventurous tales and pictures speaks to the desires of the youthful teenagers and adults (Akram and Kumar, 2017). In this way, both political and daily life events intertwine on social media platforms. Since it is a collection of all sorts of information condensed and presented on multiple platforms, social media gives every user a look into all kinds of worldly affairs. It is not limited to just
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