As a culture, we have only gotten more political, and the rise of social media has given us a plethora of ways to communicate it. As of October 2025, 73.2% of the global population worldwide uses social media. We’ve been debating politics for years, but now it happens as easily as a share, a post, a message or a repost to express opinions.
While social media undoubtedly influences people and relationships, the presence of politics on these platforms only strains them more.
After the 2016 presidential election, it seems the words “Republicans” and “Democrats” are frequently referenced online in a poor manner as parties fight with one another. Of course, these words existed long before President Donald Trump took office; however, these words are now used as weapons.
A common misconception I’ve seen on the internet is within the Democrats versus Republicans discourse, where people both argue and defend their parties. When people hear that someone is a Republican, they immediately assume they are within the “Make America Great Again” political movement or a Trump supporter.
According to NBC News, 71% of registered Republican voters identify themselves with the MAGA party as of March 2025. However, the small percentage of Republicans who don’t support Trump are often found within crossfire online. One cause of this may be a lack of research or education. Many are quick to jump to conclusions or express strong feelings without proper knowledge, which leads to senseless arguments with no basis.
Social media contains the power and tools to be very influential on people’s decisions. However, it appears that over the years, as more events happen, we are more politically divided than ever before.
It’s also become common to “cancel” influencers or celebrities who lean toward one side politically.
For example, TikTok influencer Hannah Brown was called out for identifying with the “MAGA” movement and quickly lost hundreds of thousands of followers. She then posted a video defending herself, stating that she isn’t a part of “MAGA” and that she’s entitled to her own beliefs and actions.
After the 2024 election between Trump and Kamala Harris, IMDb published a list of celebrities who endorsed Trump.
It’s become common practice to call out celebrities or influencers who lean a particular way and “cancel” them by unfollowing and removing support from their platform.
A decade ago, it was normal to disagree with your family, friends or idols; however, with the rise of social media and expression on these platforms, it seems many lose relationships with those who have differing beliefs.
According to a survey conducted in August 2024, 26% of adults surveyed say they have ended a friendship due to political differences. Social media only enhances conflict in these relationships.
It used to be political debates at the dinner table with family, but now it seems these discussions take place online. It’s a lot easier to simply block someone due to something they posted that you don’t agree with, and a lot harder to walk away from an argument in person.
To use the block or unfriend button on social platforms makes it more accessible to sever ties from a friend or family member, which can be a harder task for some.
As the internet and social media develop over time, it seems every political issue spreads quickly, and as a result, more public discourse and anger are expressed online.
It’s important to reflect on your feelings and words before typing a message or hitting post; make sure what you are putting out into the digital world is something you would say in person, and stand behind what you’re typing online.
With the increasing amount of political opinions circulating online, we’re only moving towards a more divided and less united population. We should begin to consider the consequences that should become of this discourse online.
Hadley is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Hadley about their column? Email them at hl526522@ohio.edu.
