The Digital Dynamics of Political Engagement Among Filipino Youth: Examining Participation in Social Media Platforms

Youth participation has historically played a critical role in shaping the political landscape of the Philippines. Being immersed in digital technology, Generation Z has mostly shifted their activism from the streets to the virtual realm of diverse social media platforms. Through digital interactions, they champion causes and establish political dialogue by initiating socio-political movements online. This study utilized the Social Media Political Participation Scale to put into perspective the online political behaviors of Filipinos who are part of Generation Z. Specifically, the study centers on Metro Manila, comparing their engagements across various online platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Social media engagements were divided into four aspects: latent engagement, follower engagement, expressive engagement, and system engagement, to identify the digital activities that encourage respondents to participate. The study highlights the nuanced dynamics of digital political engagement and its role in shaping political participation. Results reveal that only Instagram and TikTok encourage respondents to participate politically on different social media platforms.