THE ROLE OF TWITTER IN SETTING THE AGENDA AND SHAPING PUBLIC OPINION ABOUT THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL STRUGGLE: AN EXPLANATORY STUDY IN LIGHT OF AGENDA-SETTING THEORY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/ShodhVichar.v1.i2.2025.71Keywords:
Agenda-setting theory, agenda-setting, Palestine, public opinion, Twitter, XAbstract
This study examines Twitter's role in setting the agenda about the Palestinian national struggle (PNS) to create public opinion by applying the agenda-setting theory. The study uses a quantitative approach, utilizing an online survey published on Twitter, which garnered 424 participants. The study concluded that Twitter shapes an alternative cognitive and political agenda, and it constantly reinforces the PNS in the public consciousness through repetition and constant exposure. Furthermore, Twitter has become a space for constructing alternative narratives and breaking the hegemony of the Western narrative. The study also indicated that users are no longer passive recipients, but rather active participants in shaping public opinion. The study reveals a mechanism of reverse agenda setting, where priorities shift from digital platforms like Twitter to traditional media instead of the usual classic direction. Finally, Twitter represents a living application of the three levels of agenda setting.
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