Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage :
The proliferation of social media has fundamentally transformed the democratic landscape, acting both as a catalyst for civic engagement and a conduit for manipulation. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, once relegated to the domain of personal expression, now serve as powerful instruments of political discourse, enabling citizens to articulate opinions, mobilize for causes, and scrutinize authority in real-time. At its core, democracy thrives on the free flow of information, and social media ostensibly democratizes this process by dismantling traditional gatekeeping. Political leaders communicate directly with constituents, bypassing editorial filters, while grassroots movements harness virality to amplify marginalized voices. During critical events—be it elections, protests, or legislative debates—social media acts as a digital agora, fostering participatory dialogue that was once confined to town halls or print columns. However, this unprecedented openness is double-edged. The same platforms that disseminate truth can also propagate misinformation, polarize public opinion, and algorithmically reinforce ideological silos. Electoral interference through fake accounts, coordinated trolling, and the spread of disinformation campaigns have threatened electoral integrity in several democracies. Moreover, emotionally charged content, optimized for engagement rather than accuracy, often eclipses nuanced debate, reducing political discourse to a cacophony of outrage. The role of social media in democracy, therefore, is contingent not just on its technological architecture, but on the ethical frameworks governing its use. Regulatory oversight, media literacy, and algorithmic transparency are essential to harness its democratic potential while mitigating its subversive tendencies. In essence, social media is neither inherently virtuous nor inherently corrosive—it is a mirror of societal intent. Whether it becomes a pillar of democratic resilience or a tool of populist distortion depends largely on how it is wielded by citizens, institutions, and platforms alike.
According to the paragraph, which element amplifies marginalized voices through social media?
- (a)Editorial boards
- (b)Gatekeeping journalism
- (c)Viral reach and grassroots mobilization
- (d)Institutional press
Answer
Why
Correct — C. The passage answers in one clause: "while grassroots movements harness virality to amplify marginalized voices."
Grassroots movements are the mobilization, and virality is the viral reach they harness. Option (c) joins the two halves of that clause.
Why the others are wrong
- (a)Editorial boards — Editorial boards are what social media goes around: leaders communicate directly, bypassing editorial filters. They are the old barrier, not the amplifier.
- (b)Gatekeeping journalism — Gatekeeping is what social media removes: it democratizes information by dismantling traditional gatekeeping. The option names the barrier removed, not the force that amplifies.
- (d)Institutional press — Institutional press belongs to the older channels, where dialogue was once confined to town halls or print columns. The passage credits grassroots movements instead.
Concept
A detail question asks for one fact the passage states. Find the sentence holding the question's key words, here amplify marginalized voices, and read what does the amplifying.
That sentence has two halves joined by while: leaders bypass editorial filters, and grassroots movements harness virality. The second half answers this question.
An option that borrows a word from the passage proves only that the word appears nearby, not that it answers the question.
Options (a), (b) and (d) name older channels that the passage sets against social media. Option (c) names the new force the passage credits.
Key facts
- Grassroots describes action organised by ordinary people rather than by leaders or institutions.
- Virality is the quality of spreading rapidly from person to person online.
- Marginalized means pushed to the edge of a society, with little power or voice.
Study next
Common traps
- Choosing editorial boards or gatekeeping journalism because those words appear in the passage
- Crediting the first half of the sentence, about leaders bypassing editorial filters, instead of the while-clause
The same passage carries English Q.15 to Q.19 of this shift. Q.15 turns on the sentence just before this one, where social media democratizes the free flow of information by dismantling traditional gatekeeping.
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.