Essay | Media in the Age of Connectivity: Social Viewing and Its Impact on Political Life by Adam Scull
The way people consume news is undergoing a transformative shift through the use of social viewing, as individuals not only access news on social media but also engage in a collective experience that shapes their political beliefs and behaviors. In the digital age, individuals are experiencing a significant change in how they process and discuss information, transitioning from traditional, one-directional consumption to an interactive, community-oriented approach. The rise of social media has ushered in an era of personalized news experiences, where users are not just passive recipients but active participants, shaping and being shaped by the content they encounter. This dynamic interplay between news consumption and social interaction via digital platforms highlights the critical need to understand how these changes affect political engagementconstruingon of political identities. Through an eexplore multifaceted impacts of social viewing, this article endeavors to uncover the complex relationship between digital media consumption and its influence on civic participation and the developing perpectives.