Social Media and Students’ Political Awareness and Involvement in a Cebu College

This mixed‐methods study examined how social media relates to political awareness and involvement among college students at a public institution in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu (N = 356). Using an explanatory sequential design, researchers first administered a 42-item survey (Cronbach’s α = .895) covering demographics, social media usage, political awareness (policies, figures, issues), and political involvement (voting, discussion, activism). Quantitative analysis showed high social media engagement and perceived significance (weighted M = 3.09), “Aware” levels of political knowledge (weighted M = 3.05), and “Less Participative” political involvement (weighted M = 2.14). Spearman correlations indicated a moderate, positive association between social media usage and political awareness (ρ = .351, p < .001), a weak, nonsignificant association with political involvement (ρ = .085, p = .107), and a weak but significant link between awareness and involvement (ρ = .171, p = .001). Follow-up interviews with six purposively selected students revealed three themes: (1) incidental political learning from trending content, (2) shifts in political stance after repeated exposure, and (3) tension between trust and skepticism of online sources. Overall, social media appears to elevate awareness but does not reliably translate into offline participation. Findings support structured media and political literacy initiatives that build verification skills, promote constructive discussion, and create supportive pathways from online knowledge to civic action.