Digital Pathways to Political Engagement: Youth Information- Seeking and Social Media in Malaysia

Social media has become a powerful tool for accessing political information and enhancing civic engagement among young people. The interactive and participatory nature of social media has affected the way young people obtain political knowledge, which is arguably a key prerequisite for democratic participation. The study seeks to investigate the effect of political efficacy, policy satisfaction, political knowledge, motivation and perceived usefulness of social media on seeking political information behavior among Malaysian undergraduates. A quantitative survey was conducted among 381 respondents from selected public universities in Malaysia. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to test the hypothesized relationships between the independent variables and political information-seeking behavior. Findings reveal that political efficacy, knowledge and the usefulness of social media significantly predict information-seeking behavior among Malaysian youth. Moreover, policy satisfaction and motivation did not significantly predict leadership behaviors. The study emphasizes the value of digital platforms in youth political engagement. The results are vital to policymakers and educators for the enhancement of democratic participation and independent decision-making by the youth.