Social Media and its Impact on the Political Participation of Generation Z in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur

This study aimed to determine the impact of social media on the political participation of Generation Z in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur.A descriptive correlational research design was used to examine the link between social media usage and political engagement.Data were gathered from 111 Gen Z respondents across various barangays through Google Forms and face-to-face surveys.Simple random sampling ensured equal chances of participation per barangay.An adopted questionnaire was used, and the data were analyzed using the median as the statistical tool.Findings showed that Generation Z in Tagudin "rarely" or "sometimes" used social media and participated in politics only "sometimes."A significant link was found between the most used platform and offline political participation, but no strong connection existed between online engagement and social media usage, frequency, or time spent.The following conclusions were drawn: Facebook was the most commonly used platform, with users spending 1-6 hours daily online.The study recommends that Generation Z should explore other platforms, follow verified sources to avoid misinformation and join offline activities such as forums and campaigns.A balance between online and offline participation can help strengthen their political awareness and involvement.