Political Consumerism and Social Media

Political consumerism and social media are both defined by their connection to personalized communication and an intertwining of production and consumption. This paper aims to better understand how political consumerism (that is, when consumers choose producers and products with the goal of supporting ethical practices, like fair trade labor, or changing objectionable ones, like environmentally hazardous production) is represented via social media engagement. The primary question is: in what ways are political consumers engaging with social media? The paper provides an exploratory analysis of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and examines the discursive actions that political consumers utilize in an online environment. The paper will also reflect on the possibilities of social media engagement to empower political consumers. Specifically, empowerment is defined as the process by which people enhance their self-efficacy and cultivate power to act on issues they define as important. Empowerment is essential to focus on as it plays a key role in identity building, particularly at a time when the political identity of young people is being redefined.