Social Media Engagement and Civic Participation among Young Adults: Evidence from Indonesian Digital Communities
Keywords:
social media engagement; civic participation; young adults; digital citizenship; Indonesian youth.Abstract
Purpose This study examines the influence of social media engagement on civic participation among Indonesian young adults. As social media increasingly shapes communication, information access, and public discourse, understanding its role in fostering civic participation has become essential for contemporary digital societies.
Methods A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed to 327 Indonesian young adults aged 18–25 years using purposive sampling. Social Media Engagement was specified as the exogenous variable and Civic Participation as the endogenous variable. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS 4.
Findings The results indicate that respondents demonstrated high levels of social media engagement (M = 4.18) and moderate-to-high levels of civic participation (M = 3.96). Social Media Engagement positively and significantly influenced Civic Participation (β = 0.681, t = 18.742, p < 0.001). The model explained 46.3% of the variance in Civic Participation (R² = 0.463), while the effect size indicated a strong practical impact (f² = 0.863). The predictive relevance assessment also confirmed satisfactory predictive capability (Q² = 0.298).
Research Implications The findings suggest that social media can serve as an effective platform for strengthening civic awareness and participation among young adults. Educational institutions, policymakers, and community organizations should utilize digital platforms to promote civic engagement and digital citizenship competencies.
Originality This study contributes empirical evidence from Indonesia by demonstrating that social media engagement functions as a significant driver of civic participation among young adults in digital communities.
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