Offstone JUNE 2023 EDITION

41 RELIGION AND SOCIAL MEDIA By: Dr. Eizan Azira Mat Sharif & Mohd Zaki Abdul Razak eizansharif@usim.edu.my & mzaki@t.unikl.edu.my The first writer is a senior lecturer from the New Media Communications program in the Faculty of Leadership and Management, USIM. Her research interests include communication technology, gamification, advertising, social media, media studies and neuroscience. ABSTRACT Religion has been a part of human society for centuries, and with the advent of social media, it has found a new platform to spread its message. Social media has become a powerful tool for religious organizations to reach out to their followers and promote their beliefs. However, the impact of social media on religion is a topic of debate, and its implications on society are still being studied. In this article, we will explore how social media is shaping millennials' views on religion, how it has changed the religious experience, and the impact of social media on emerging adults' religious and spiritual beliefs. Introduction A study has shown that digital platforms have given people and communities the power to rethink ideas of religion and authority. A new breed of social media influencers has just appeared in the Muslim world. They are well-educated in the West, talented storytellers, and skilled in content creation. They used digital platforms efficiently to reach interested parties in the Islamic religion worldwide, and this caused concerns in the Western world.