The Impact of the Internet News on the Political Awareness of the Youth

The Internet is an interesting source of information for many people today. Many studies investigated the Internet as a means of communication but little attention was given to its role in enhancing political awareness and civic engagement among the youth. Recently the interest in politics is noticeably on the increase, especially among the youth in several countries. This article aims at describing and explaining the role of exposure to the Internet news in promoting political awareness and citizenship among the youth, by providing the Moroccan context as a case study. Over the last decades, communication has become much easier, smoother and less expensive thanks to the Information Communication Technologies (ICT). The Internet as a valuable public sphere provides several avenues that encourage the youth to involve in different disciplines such as education, economics, and politics. Moreover, the advancement of technology has invaded different areas in life; a case in point is the irresistible dominance of the Internet use in the age of digital news and information. Roughly all different types of traditional media, such as television news, radio news programs, magazine advertorials and newspaper articles have extended its version into this new sophisticated field, namely the Internet. Thus, based on an exhaustive review of literature, this article addresses some interesting issues related to civic engagement, the Internet use and political awareness among the youth. Eventually the article ends with some critical insights and directions for prospective research. Keywords: The Internet, political awareness, the youth, democracy, online journalism DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/103-04 Publication date: December 31st 202

The Effect of Social Media on Civic Engagement

“The most serious danger Americans now face, greater than terrorism, is that our country’s future may not end up in the hands of a citizenry capable of sustaining the liberty that has been America’s most precious legacy.” (Damon, 2011) According to many, the younger generation of today is seen as politically unmotivated, uneducated, and uninterested. Declining levels of civic engagement have incited panic and have caused people to question the strength of American democracy. “If trends continue, young Americans will grow up without an understanding of the benefits, privileges, and duties of citizens in a free society, and without acquiring the habits of character needed to live responsibly in one.” (Damon, 2011) The conclusion drawn by many is that the younger generation’s lack of participation is a direct result of their lack of interest, respect, or any semblance of appreciation for politics and civic engagement more broadly. (Coley, 2012) If this is true, it certainly is a cause for panic, but are young people today really isolated and removed from the world of politics? Do they not feel a need to give back or participate in their community? This paper proposes that the question is not one of waning motivation or interest, but instead a matter of changing forums for action. Is it that the millennial generation has become less civically engaged or is it that forms of civic engagement have shifted in such a way that interests and motivations are not rewarded with the same recognition? Civic engagement is defined here as “individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern.” (APA, 2012) To understand the supposed lack of interest among the young, millennial generation, attention must be paid to the changing nature and environment in which civic engagement is occurring. The supposed terror that will ensue when the country is left in the hands of the millennials must be understood not as a consequence of disinterest or lack of involvement, but instead as a consequence of a changing world in which civic engagement has been relegated to the cyber realm through social media and the internet. The goal of this paper is to shift the discussion of civic engagement away from focusing solely on an individual’s intention or motivation for volunteering, and instead to focus on the resulting action or lack there-of

A Time for Action: A New Vision of Participatory Democracy

For over eighty years, the League of Women Voters has been a voice for women and men of all backgrounds, rising above partisan disputes to help citizens fully and intelligently exercise their rights -- and their responsibilities -- as participants in the American experiment. The League has earned a reputation for integrity and fairness, and generations have relied upon League resources to help them make the kind of informed decisions that keep policymakers responsive and truly give weight and meaning to the hallowed phrase "consent of the governed."The League has cultivated expertise on electoral behavior and public policy at national, state, and local levels, and has been a leader in identifying and researching political trends. In recent years, one of the most distressing trends has been the ongoing decline of civic participation, in the voting booth and beyond. If one measure of the health of democracy is the rate at which citizens participate in elections, the fitness of the American body politic has been spiraling downward ever since voter turnout peaked in 1960.Recognizing the need for new insights and strategies to attack this problem, the Chicago chapter of the League convened a Task Force of recognized experts and leaders from the community to spearhead an examination of the factors at play. Concerned organizations of many stripes have studied the situation over the years, but there has been no authoritative summary of what we know and what we yet need to learn that can be turned into real steps toward a solution. Why are people dropping out of the political process....and what can be done to draw them back? What creative strategies hold the most promise for capturing Americans' attention, raising their awareness, and inspiring them to participate?The Task Force's findings are often disturbing, yet they also give cause for optimism. Americans may be keeping to themselves in growing numbers, but they do not do so solely from apathy or indifference; and want only to be invited to share their views, to be assured that government will pay attention, to be shown how and why they can make a difference. Young people especially have felt shut out of the process, despite knowing as well as anyone what matters to them and their communities. It's time they were invited back in. In this deeply polarized political moment, it is vitally important that we remind all Americans that civic engagement isn't merely about the often arcane and alienating world of politics -- it's a way to share in something bigger than ourselves, to express our devotion to our country and our community, to assure that (in Abraham Lincoln's timeless phrase) "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."Here in the state that was home to the author of those words, in the city where he was nominated for the presidency, we can take the first steps toward reinvigorating the vision he expressed. It is the hope of the League and the Task Force that this report will point the way toward those steps

Identity, citizenship, and moral constructs from the virtual self

Many young people now access digital networks that include individuals very unlike them who promote different cultural, religious and ethical value systems and behaviour. Such value systems can create conflicts of expectation for young people seeking to resolve their relationship to a national citizenship in a pluralistic society, especially if they are experiencing adolescent uncertainties or a growing awareness of social inequalities. The emergence of trans-national political structures and their differing value systems, together with the rise of international tensions, have increased uncertainty about the nature of identity and entitlement to a national citizenship. This paper describes the ongoing Citizens project study of identity development in young people, using real-world scenarios to discover the values that underpin their engagement with this wider range of religious and cultural value systems and to explore personal identity, political issues and citizenship

Youth Activism and Public Space in Egypt

Examines youth activists' use of virtual and physical public spaces before, during, and after the January 25 Revolution. Profiles three organizations and analyzes the power and limitations of social media to spur civic action, as well as the role of art

Crossing Boundaries: Report to Community 2015

Annual Repor

Digital and Media Literacy: A Plan of Action

Outlines a community education movement to implement Knight's 2009 recommendation to enhance digital and media literacy. Suggests local, regional, state, and national initiatives such as teacher education and parent outreach and discusses challenges

Unlocking Latino Civic Potential 2016 and Beyond

In August 2015, the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program and the Aspen Institute Citizenship and American Identity Program convened a diverse group of distinguished scholars, organizers, and other experts and leaders to discuss the challenges and causes of low Latino civic participation and to develop recommendations for unlocking Latino civic potential in the United States.This is a vital topic, as the U.S. Latino population is growing rapidly, is overwhelmingly young, and thus will see growing power and influence in American society and politics, if Latinos are able to more fully realize their civic potential. Increasing Latino civic and political participation rates today will pay dividends for generations to come; likewise, missing the opportunity to do so will have consequences to the health of our democracy for generations to come.This report identifies four priority areas and tactics for unleashing the civic potential of Latinos in the United States. Focusing on immigrant integration and naturalization, voter engagement, civic education, and leadership development; the report offers a comprehensive vision for how to engage the nation's fastest growing demographic, beyond election cycles, to participate more fully in our democracy