INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ON POLITICAL COMMUNICATION FOR MOBILIZATION TOWARDS VOTING PATTERN IN AN ELECTION

Advancement in information technology, particularly the social media, has expanded public sphere engagement. Information is now widely accessible, raising urgent concerns about the responsible use of such platforms during electoral processes, as there is rampant sharing of unverified results on social media, consistently attracting research interest. This study investigated the role of social media platforms in shaping political communication, with a view to examining the impact on political mobilisation and voting behaviour and exploring the extent to which youth and adult populations utilise social media for political engagement. Descriptive design was employed. Agenda-Setting Theory by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw and Uses and Gratification Theory by Blumler and Katz served as the framework. Data were 315 respondents in Oke Mosan secretariat, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. data wee elicited using questionnaires and subjected to analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). There was a high level of engagement with social media platforms; 73.3% respondents regularly used social media platforms to access political information. 53.4% respondents indicated that social media had a significant impact on shaping political opinions. Misinformation, fake news, and potential for political manipulation were underscored as challenges. Social media platforms improve algorithmic transparency and enforce stricter content moderation policies. There is need to foster partnership with local fact checking organisations to enhance the credibility and reliability of political information disseminated online.