Facebook – The New Power of Political Influence

Rationale

The historic period of the new media age in 21st century has developed in many ways

throughout the years. It has come with a baggage that anyone born in this period has to be part of

its being and use it as an instrument to foster new learning. In like manner, technology produces

new trends of creation time to time that people must know and be literate of its usage. In this period

of development has created tools for communication and exchange of information. These are social

networking sites. It is a new information network and information technology using a form of

communication interactive and user-generated content that creates and maintains interpersonal

relationships, and that has been used in political communication today. The accessibility of

sending-receiving information has never made this possible. People get used to employing this

function of development by using these social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, instagram,

youtube, and other social media outlets. According to de Vera, Inocian, Rosaroso, alvador, & Vivar

(2017, p. 15) that “these forms of media communication sites become avenues for individuals and

organizations to socialize and interact with health, commerce, social issues, current events, and

even political matters.”

The extensive growth of new media radically altered the way that government institutions operate,

the way that political leaders communicate, the manner in which elections are contested, and how

citizens engage and deal with political and societal issues. Facebook is one of the most popular

social networking sites that has been used in the Philippines today. This tool of new media has

been used to influence the nature of political communication that concerns the creation and

exchange of ideas and opinions between citizens, public officials, political institutions, and other
related entities. In addition, political information generated by the users of this tool can be

leveraged to achieve political goals.