Democratic participation in the digital age and the 2023 elections: The relationship between social media use, political attitudes and political participation

Digitalization has changed and diversified the forms of political participation. With the widespread use of smartphones and computers, it has become easier for individuals to participate politically through social media in line with their political interest, knowledge and activity. The transformation experienced in political participation is seen differently in generational voter groups. Generational differences and motivations for using digital tools affect voters' digital political participation. This study, which examines the effect of social media use of voters in generations X, Y and Z on political participation behaviors in the context of the 2023 Presidential elections, was conducted with 505 volunteer participants living in Selçuklu, Meram and Karatay districts of Konya and who will vote. The research results reveal that voters in different generations show significant differences in terms of political participation. Voters in generation X have the highest levels of digital political participation, political activity, political interest and political knowledge. This result shows that generation X actively participates in politics on the basis of political knowledge and interest and uses digital tools in this direction. In general, the high levels of political interest, knowledge and activity of the participants are directly reflected in digital political participation. The data obtained show that the level of political interest and knowledge has a positive and significant effect on digital political participation. As the participants' use of social media increases, their level of political activity also increases, revealing that social media is actively used as a field of political action.