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Abstract
In a world where TikTok trends outpace textbooks and algorithms often determine what citizens see before they vote, understanding how young people construct civic identity in digital environments is no longer optional... it’s urgent! This presentation explores how social media platforms weaponize “civic branding,” using emotionally charged language and algorithmic personalization to influence political attitudes and engagement among Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Drawing on interdisciplinary research in political psychology, digital rhetoric, and media studies—including the work of Jason Stanley on propaganda and emotional manipulation—this presentation maps how civic identity is being shaped not through education, but through algorithmic exposure and performative outrage. It also examines resilience strategies: how young people can push back, fact-check, and co-create spaces for resistance. This work situates the phenomenon within a broader conversation about democratic erosion and the social science of identity formation in technologically mediated spaces. The goal is to equip educators, policymakers, and digital strategists with insight into how disinformation doesn’t just spread—it reshapes who young people think they are.