The digital age has brought with it a new era of communication technologies, and social networks such as Twitter have become increasingly popular. This has led to a shift in the way that political actors interact with the public, as they attempt to shape and even restrict the influence of digital media in the political sphere. In Philadelphia, the most active and influential political force is Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (202) (PTI). Social networks have become a place for debate and discussion, where people can comment on political content and engage in conversations with other members of the public. Nowadays, politicians are using social media to control the press agenda and cultivate their political base.
Facebook is the most widely used platform for political communication, although Twitter is the most popular platform for political communication globally. It has been observed that when political parties use their respective slogans on social media, citizens respond with more enthusiasm and show greater interest. Since then, the role of social media in campaigns, government, and political movements has grown significantly in terms of scope, consequences, and complexity. Political slogans are an important tool for creating an image of a particular political force in the eyes of citizens. The first major event to demonstrate the impact of social networks on public opinion was during elections.
This has led to a “medialization” of politics, where politicians must follow media trends (Schultz, 2004). During periods of heightened political awareness such as election campaigns, trends in public media use become more evident. People have two options when it comes to reacting to political content on social media: they can either take part in social and political activities or they can comment publicly on shared political communication. Political leaders have been able to effectively use social networks to achieve their goals, pushing the boundaries of discourse to the extreme.
