SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 12 September 2025, Shift 2 · English Comprehension · Question 19 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 13 September 2026.

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.

In the author’s view, what determines whether social media supports or undermines democracy?

(a)Political advertisements
(b)How platforms are funded
(c)Societal intent and ethical usage
(d)Popularity of influencers

Answer

Why

Correct — C. The author's verdict: social media "is neither inherently virtuous nor inherently corrosive—it is a mirror of societal intent."

A sentence earlier, its role is "contingent not just on its technological architecture, but on the ethical frameworks governing its use."

Intent plus ethical use is exactly option (c).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Political advertisements — Political advertisements are never mentioned. The passage places the deciding factor in how social media "is wielded by citizens, institutions, and platforms alike".
(b)
How platforms are funded — Funding is never discussed. The passage even sets technological architecture aside with "not just … but", putting the weight on the ethical frameworks governing its use.
(d)
Popularity of influencers — Influencers are never named. Popularity is closest to virality, which the passage credits with amplifying marginalized voices: a benefit, not the deciding factor.

Concept

An in the author's view question asks for the author's own conclusion, not a detail. In this passage the conclusion is flagged by therefore and In essence, the words that sum up the argument.

The final sentence says it once more: whether social media becomes "a pillar of democratic resilience or a tool of populist distortion depends largely on how it is wielded".

The keyed option joins two sentences: societal intent is quoted from one, and ethical usage paraphrases "the ethical frameworks governing its use" from the other.

Key facts

The passage calls social media "a mirror of societal intent".
Its role is contingent "not just on its technological architecture, but on the ethical frameworks governing its use".
The outcome depends on how it is wielded by citizens, institutions and platforms.

Study next

Summary signposts: therefore, in essence, in short, ultimatelyParaphrase matching: ethical usage for "the ethical frameworks governing its use"Neither … nor statements that rule out both extremes

Common traps

Picking popularity of influencers because the passage praises virality. Virality appears as a benefit, not as what decides the outcome.
Looking for one named cause when the author's answer is an attitude: intent, and how the tool is wielded.

The same passage is examined at English Q.15, Q.16, Q.17 and Q.18 (the author's remedy for misuse, keyed algorithmic transparency and media literacy). This one asks for the author's conclusion rather than a stated detail.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Reading comprehension — all 128 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.

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.