The role of social networking platforms “Facebook and Twitter” in shaping the political awareness of Iraqi students (University of Samarra – College of Arts as a model)

Social media platforms are no longer limited to being a window for communication between individuals. Rather, they have become the most important tools for influencing and shaping public opinion, raising youth and educating them politically. Extremist and terrorist groups may spread their destructive ideas, recruit young people, and brainwash them, and this raises the question: What is the role and impact of social media in shaping, developing and strengthening political awareness, what is the nature of its impact on public opinion-making and formation, and how does it affect the process of forming awareness among university youth and enhance their participation in political life The methodology used in this study was the survey method to reach its results and to achieve the purpose of the research by obtaining the required information, data and facts, formulating, analyzing and interpreting them by the survey method, and then coming up with conclusions that benefit the research problem. In the research questionnaire, as well as the results showed that the research sample on coexistence and continuous use of social networking sites (Facebook, and tension), and it appeared that most of the research sample used mobile devices for speed, ease of use and less cost compared to other communication devices. Facebook is the most important engine that increases the movement and events in the Iraqi street, such as the recent events, and it was also found that many of the sample were in agreement with the opinion that the health of the news on Facebook and tension sites affect the political awareness of the Iraqi youth and the best evidence of what happened recently.