INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES

Social media has turned into a platform that engages political discourse, information dissemination
and civic engagement. With the amount of social media contents available, individuals tends to rely on
these information unsure with the credibility of the perceived data that could lead to massive circulation
of misinformation. According to Mondal (2024), there are nine factors that influence political
participation. These factors are identified as the major influences in voters' participation. Using different
forms of media, information is readily accessible and therefore can be a catalyst in shaping perceptions
and engagements that influence the youth’s voting preferences. This study assess how social media
contents and exposure in Facebook influences the political engagements, preferences, decisions,
knowledge and awareness of first year BS Architecture students of Batangas State University - The
National Engineering University, Alangilan Campus. It aims to identify the types of political encountered,
assess the influence of social media engagement frequency to the voting preferences, evaluate the
influence of social media contents on the political engagements and voting decisions and analyze how
exposure to social media impacts the political knowledge and awareness.
 KEY FINDINGS
Highest Mean Lowest Mean
Category Interpretation
(Verbal Interpretation) (Verbal Interpretation)

The majority of the respondents always encounter political

Types of Political I often see political polls or surveys news and events as it occurs constantly and without
I encounter posts about political news or exception in their social media feed every time they use
Content asking for opinions on national or local
events on Facebook. Facebook. On the other hand, the occurrence of polls and
Encountered on issues. surveys asking for opinions on national or local issues is
Facebook 4.27 (Always)
3.90 (Very Often) generally seldom compared to the other forms of political
content.

The majority of the respondents voting preferences are

Social Media Social media platforms provide me with I rely on the information I gather from significantly influenced by social media platforms that
Engagement information that significantly influences social media to form my opinions about provides information due to the frequency of engagements
on political posts. While social media enables the
Frequency and my voting choices. political candidates. accessibility to information, diverse opinions, political
Voting Preferences 4.05 (Very Often) 3.74 (Very Often) messages and narratives, this may also provide
misinformation and bias as exposure to political contents .

The majority of the respondents view social media as an

Influence of Social Social media has enhanced my I am more likely to participate in political important medium for sharing information that raises
Media Content on knowledge of current political issues and activities (e.g., rallies, protests) due to political awareness. In contrast, students who are more
Political likely to participate in political activities have the lowest
Engagement and events. the information I find on social media. mean indicates that it has a comparatively lesser impact on
Voting Decisions 4.26 (Strongly Agree) 3.79 (Agree) motivating participation in physical political activities such
as rallies or protests.

I have learned about political candidates The result presents that social media enhanced the
Influence of Social Awareness of political issues and events knowledge of political issues and events. Moreover, the
and their platforms through social respondents are likely to depend on social media when
Media Exposure on is gained through social media evaluating the credibility of political information, and thus,
Political Knowledge media content.
4.38 (Strongly Agree) are likely to rely on social media contents when discussing
and Awareness 4.18 (Agree) and making decisions related to politics.
 CONCLUSION
Based on the statistical analysis, the researchers have drawn several conclusions regarding the different aspects
discussed in the paper. The following conclusions were made:

1. First-year BS Architecture students are frequently exposed to a diverse range of political content on Facebook. This
implied that social media has become a primary platform for political discourse and engagement among the first-
year BS Architecture students.

2. The frequency of social media engagement significantly influences the voting preferences of first-year BS
Architecture students. Social media serves as a primary source of information for political content, which broadens
their awareness, shapes their understanding of political candidates, policies, and platforms, and affects their
perceptions and decisions as social media acts as a platform that encourages students to consider new
perspectives or reinforce existing beliefs.

3. Social media acts as a catalyst for political engagement that influences both online advocacy and the
dissemination of political information and awareness amongst students. Exposure to political content shapes how
they perceive and engage with political issues. While online engagement is prevalent, it has a comparatively lesser
impact on motivating participation in physical political activities such as rallies or protests.

4. Social media exposure has a significant impact on the political knowledge and awareness of students. Social media
platforms provide an abundance of political content. Exposure to these content broadens their awareness of political
processes, such as elections and lawmaking. Furthermore, social media not only helps students become more
critical of political content but also fosters a more nuanced view of political issues by offering access to diverse
perspectives.
 RECOMMENDATIONS
With accordance to the study’s aforementioned conclusions, the following recommendations are provided:

1. Colleges and universities incorporate comprehensive digital literacy programs that concentrate on absorbing
political information, news, and government regulations in order to further improve the political awareness of first-year
BS Architecture students. Additionally, students should be encouraged to actively seek out and engage with reputable
political content beyond their social media feeds.

2. Researchers urge students to be informed about the possible biases present in online political content, including
debates, political endorsements, and campaign materials. Universities can also hold debates and workshops that allow
students to learn about different political candidates and views in order to improve their ability to make political
choices of their own.

3. Universities should provide platforms for students to participate in in-person and online political discourse. These
platforms could host debates, political forums, or virtual town halls that promote active participation in political
discourse. In order to transform their virtual political engagement into tangible actions that benefit their communities
and society, students should also be encouraged to take part in online petitions, campaigns, and advocacy groups.

4. Researchers suggest that students be encouraged to interact with a range of political content in order to increase
their comprehension of both local and national concerns. Universities can facilitate in providing workshops, webinars,
or symposiums on the complexities of political institutions and procedures, including elections, legislation, and
governmental policies.