WCR 2024 emphasizes on social media’s influence on younger generation during electoral processes

The Word Citizenship Report (WCR) 2024 enlightened about the significance of Youth Electoral Engagement aligned with social media. In this time, where 65 nations are holding elections in 2024 in full swing, there the young generation also holds the power to exercise their most crucial right of speaking and expressing about elections by utilizing a newfound tool, social media.

The World Citizenship Report aims to be a significant tool to understand the chaotic and demanding responsibilities of global citizens. Also, in the current year, the citizens are experiencing one of the purest and most acute form- electoral responsibility. Notably, in this year, 50% of the world’s population will be voting in an election.

The Social media tools are playing a significant role in indulging young people in political, economic and financial discussions. The younger generation which is profoundly known for being independent, asserting political opinions questioning authority through internet platforms and technology. Social media is popular with Gen Z, the demographic cohort between the years 1997 and 2012. Notably, the 2024 elections may constitute the first or second election in Generation Z’s lifetime.

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The WCR 2024 emphasised on the significance of Tik Tok and the benefits availed by the content creators. They have identified it as a helpful tool which has helped them in gaining visibility for their political activism, leveraging it in the discourse of 2024 elections.

As per the report in 2020 American Presidential election witnessed an increase of 289% participants by raw vote total and as more younger minds engaged into the electorate, they will occupy a greater percentage of it. With this social media tools, one might expect politicians to employ such platforms to match the engagement of younger generation.

However, the New York Times analysis of politician’s social media accounts found that politicians are ignoring social media platforms such as TikTok as a mode of political engagement with young people. It was also found by them that there is no official POTUS, White House or Biden-Harris 2024 account. The report states that citizens will find only one of the Republican presidential candidates there — and just 37 sitting Congress members.

This is despite the expanding role of social media in news media and political activism. The report proved its point by citing an example of young immigrants to the United States who have been particularly active in using social media to spark conversations around migration policy and its impact on democracy.

Moreover, the World Citizenship Report also focused on the importance of Twitter being utilized by the younger generation as a mouthpiece for engaging citizens. Hailing the approach of Twitter, the WCR shed light on the effective use of social media platforms in the electoral process in several places. The report cited an example of PhD students at the University of California, Los Angeles, and stated that “young immigrants to the US were leading Twitter conversations around voting, migration and youth engagement.”

The report emphasized that young voters on platforms like Twitter have the ability to lead political conversations. Along with that, the report also mentioned the excellent usage of social media platforms by climate activists to connect with their peers, building large followings through constant digital communication.

The WCR reminisced the story of a 21-year-old climate activist, Greta Thunberg who used Instagram and Twitter posts to build a generational following. Gen Z argues that older generations have a responsibility to tackle the environmental impact of their actions as it is the younger generation who will have to live their full lives within deteriorating environmental conditions.

The CEO of CS Global Partners– Micha Rose Emmett also asserted the importance of younger generation and the power they hold in this electoral process and stated “For younger, politically engaged global citizens, the 2024 elections present a platform to speak out about the issues which will affect them and future generations. For them, responsibility and trust go hand in hand.”