AN ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON VOTER BEHAVIOUR IN TELANGANA PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

In today's Indian democracy, social media has become a crucial political communication tool. Election-related communication between political parties, candidates, and voters has changed as a result of thequick expansion of smartphone usage, internet access, and digital platforms. Social media sites likeFacebook, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, and X (previously Twitter) give political parties the chance toexpress their election promises, spread information, advertise campaign events, and engage with voters.In this regard, the current study examines how social media affects voter behavior in Telanganaparliamentary elections, specifically focusing on the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and 2024. The studylooks at how social media affects voter attitudes, spreads political information, raises political knowledge,and promotes voting. Additionally, it examines how voter views and decision-making are influenced bydigital political campaigns, online debates, political ads, and false information. Based on secondary datagathered from books, research articles, government publications, Election Commission of India reports,and other pertinent sources, the study employs a descriptive and analytical research technique. Theconversation emphasizes how social media has increased political communication's speed and reach whilesimultaneously raising issues with false information, political polarization, privacy, and the veracity ofonline content. The study comes to the conclusion that social media has grown to be a significant part ofmodern electoral communication, even though a number of social, economic, political, and geographicalelements still have an impact on voting behavior.