Instagram, Engagement and Politics: A Descriptive Study

In recent years, social media has been claimed to have an impact on public discourse and interaction in society. The Internet has become an increasingly important tool for citizens to not only gain political knowledge, but to engage in the political process itself. In particular, social media are increasingly used in political context. Social media platforms are a better tool for political campaigning than traditional methods. “Instagram” is one of the most powerful social media platforms to reach out to people and engage with them personally. One of the most significant implications of Instagram on elections, particularly in India, is its ability to reach a younger generation. Youngster uses “Instagram” for engaging in politics because they can "like" a leader's post and "tag" leaders to interact with them. This study explains the influence of political leaders/ parties on Instagram among youth. From the perspective of these users, Instagram provides convenient and accessible to stay informed, interact, and participate in political discussions. Based on their engagement, it is evident that Instagram significantly influences youth opinions and awareness regarding political leaders/ parties. The findings of an online survey through structured questionnaires among 254 individuals residing in Coimbatore, indicate that the young generation in Coimbatore is much more interested in Politics and the Instagram platform is more effective to promote the political parties.