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This article examines the impact of social media on the electoral behavior of Generation Z in the 2024 legislative elections in Portugal. The study focuses on how these digital platforms influenced political choices, electoral participation, and the formation of opinions within this age group, which grew up in a highly digitalized environment and now constitutes a significant segment of the young electorate. To achieve this objective, a mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative data analysis from a survey conducted with 201 participants with qualitative research based on interviews, opinion articles, and media reports. The results indicate that 30.8% of the surveyed Generation Z respondents spend on average three to four hours per day on social media, with Instagram being the preferred platform for 69.4% of the young people analyzed. However, it was observed that political content consumption is predominantly passive: 33.9% of respondents stated that they “never” actively follow political parties or leaders. Furthermore, the study revealed a correlation between the level of political knowledge and the influence of social media, suggesting that political literacy may play a crucial role in moderating this effect. Given that Generation Z perceives itself as having a low level of political knowledge, it becomes imperative to reinforce civic education to ensure that electoral decisions are more informed and thoughtful. It was also concluded that social media had a significant impact on opinion formation and voting intentions among Generation Z in the 2024 legislative elections, although this influence appears to be amplified by emotional appeals and a predominantly superficial consumption of political content. Based on these findings, it is recommended that future electoral campaigns invest in creating informative content that encourages critical thinking among young people. Future research could explore this phenomenon in different electoral contexts, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the role of social media in contemporary political dynamics.

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Political Marketing: The Impact of Social Media on Generation Z Voting in the 2024 Legislative Assembly in Portugal

  • 会议论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Maria Alexandra Santos,
  • Alexandra Leandro

摘要

This article examines the impact of social media on the electoral behavior of Generation Z in the 2024 legislative elections in Portugal. The study focuses on how these digital platforms influenced political choices, electoral participation, and the formation of opinions within this age group, which grew up in a highly digitalized environment and now constitutes a significant segment of the young electorate. To achieve this objective, a mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative data analysis from a survey conducted with 201 participants with qualitative research based on interviews, opinion articles, and media reports. The results indicate that 30.8% of the surveyed Generation Z respondents spend on average three to four hours per day on social media, with Instagram being the preferred platform for 69.4% of the young people analyzed. However, it was observed that political content consumption is predominantly passive: 33.9% of respondents stated that they “never” actively follow political parties or leaders. Furthermore, the study revealed a correlation between the level of political knowledge and the influence of social media, suggesting that political literacy may play a crucial role in moderating this effect. Given that Generation Z perceives itself as having a low level of political knowledge, it becomes imperative to reinforce civic education to ensure that electoral decisions are more informed and thoughtful. It was also concluded that social media had a significant impact on opinion formation and voting intentions among Generation Z in the 2024 legislative elections, although this influence appears to be amplified by emotional appeals and a predominantly superficial consumption of political content. Based on these findings, it is recommended that future electoral campaigns invest in creating informative content that encourages critical thinking among young people. Future research could explore this phenomenon in different electoral contexts, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the role of social media in contemporary political dynamics.