The influence of social media on generation Z’s political engagement in the 2024 North Sumatra Governor elections

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the influence of social media on Generation Z's political involvement in the North Sumatra Governor election in 2024. This research uses a mix method to collect data, which combines quantitative and qualitative methods in its implementation. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 100 Generation Z people in North Sumatra. The survey results show that Generation Z has a moderate interest in political issues (mean 3.26), with social media playing an important role as a source of information and political discussion (mean 3.21-3.45). Political discussions on social media have a significant influence on their views, although confidence in the information received still needs strengthening. Generation Z also has a good awareness of hoaxes and black campaigns, but is still passive in reporting negative content (mean 3.04). Most respondents support the existence of information clarification spaces provided by the KPU, especially through social media and official websites.