The Role of Political Influencers in Shaping Generation Z's Political Preferences in the Era of Digital Democracy

Abstract

The development of information technology has shifted the public sphere toward digital democracy, where social media has become a primary instrument in modern political communication. This phenomenon has given rise to new digital actors, such as political influencers and political buzzers, who possess significant influence in disseminating narratives and shaping public opinion. Generation Z, as a demographic group with very high internet penetration and visually oriented information consumption patterns, has become the voter segment most vulnerable to exposure to digital political communication. Using a library research approach, this article aims to analyze the influence of political influencers and buzzers on the political preferences of Generation Z within the context of digital democracy in Indonesia. The data collection focused on journals within the last eight years and was selected based on specific criteria, resulting in 18 journals that were analyzed in depth, including researchers, methods, subjects, and main findings. The findings indicate that political influencers play a positive role in increasing political awareness and participation among Generation Z through the delivery of creative and communicative messages. However, on the other hand, digital strategies such as offensive content spread by buzzers, the phenomenon of echo chambers, and the rise of digital money politics through e-wallets pose serious challenges that could undermine the principles of free and fair elections as well as the quality of democracy itself. Therefore, this article concludes that strengthening critical digital literacy among young voters is essential to protect them from information manipulation and polarization in cyberspace.