Intersections of Media Literacy and Digital Citizenship
Articles

Artificial intelligence, algorithms, and civic discourse: how social media algorithms Influence political conversations and Democratic participation among young users

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  • Tavisi Datta
Tavisi Datta
PhD Scholar, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Swami Vivekananda University

Published 2026-06-24

Keywords

  • Artificial Intelligence,
  • Recommendation Algorithms,
  • Civic Discourse,
  • Political Communication,
  • Social Media,
  • Democratic Participation,
  • Media Literacy
    • ...More
    Less

How to Cite

Datta, Tavisi. “Artificial Intelligence, Algorithms, and Civic Discourse: How Social Media Algorithms Influence Political Conversations and Democratic Participation Among Young Users”. Swami Vivekananda University Press, June 2026, pp. 368-80, https://swamivivekanandauniversitypress.com/index.php/svup/article/view/645.

Copyright (c) 2026 Swami Vivekananda University Press

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Artificial intelligence has become deeply integrated into social media platforms and now plays a significant role in shaping public communication and political interaction. Platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, and X rely heavily on AI-driven recommendation systems that personalise content according to users’ preferences, engagement patterns, and browsing behaviour. While these systems improve user experience and increase platform engagement, they also influence political awareness, democratic participation, and civic discourse among young users. This study examines the role of algorithmic amplification in shaping political conversations and democratic participation among social media users aged 18–30. The research explores how recommendation systems promote emotionally charged content, reinforce ideological echo chambers, and influence public opinion. The study further investigates how media literacy and awareness affect users’ ability to critically engage with algorithmically curated political content.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.65525/SVUP.9788199963313.2026.368-380

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