Digital E-mpowerment: A Self-Reflexive Analysis of the Themes of Empowerment in Social Media Platforms

Abarca, F.J.T. (2016). Digital E-mpowerment: A Self-Reflexive Analysis of the Themes of Empowerment in Social Media Platforms. Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines, College of Mass Communication.

This study examines how youth empowerment is related to social media. I recognize social media as one of the mechanisms that empowers the youth of today. I examine the process of how the Filipino youth is empowered through the use of social media in the Philippines.

The study is meant to operationalize the meaning of empowerment in social media. It also intends to illustrate the process of empowerment in social media. In order to do that, I focus on my narratives in using three of the most popular social media platforms which are most accessible to the Filipino youth – Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

The narratives are divided into four themes of empowerment. Each narrative illustrates how I was empowered in using social media. I tell my narratives to analyze and identify the process of empowerment in using the three social media platforms.

The study uses Joshua Meyrowitz’ medium theory as the framework of the analysis. I focus on the medium, social media and its features, and examine what effects they have to the users. Using self-reflexive analysis, I scrutinize how my use of different social media platforms are considered “empowering.”