Social Media and the Emergence of Non-Violent Political Extremism Among Pakistani Youth (2018-2022)

Abstract

A significant change in political engagement among the youth of Pakistan has been observed between 2018 and 2022. Social media has emerged as the primary venue for the discussion of ideas and for political mobilization; Political extremism of the violent kind is declining, whereas non-violent political extremism is surging. This paper examines the role of social media in neutral extremism and violence and the degree to which exclusionary and extreme political views are becoming normalized among the youth of Pakistan. The research relies on Media Dependency Theory for the explanation that, in this case, the dependency of the Pakistan youth on social media for the political understanding is the reason that the political actors are resorting to the massive cultivation of politically and socially divisive messages that also erode the basis of social democracy. This is evident in the heavy use of divisive algorithms, echo chambers, social media influencers, and memes. It is true that the non-violent kind of extremist movements is less visible than the previously dominant violent movements extremism. It is also true that it poses a danger to the democratic culture and social cohesion in the politically evolving digital space in the country.