Influence of Social Media on Public Opinion and Decision Making in Varendra Region: Analyzing Netizen’s Behavioral Patterns

Social media has become a dominant space for public discussions, which influence public opinion formation and decision-making processes worldwide. Our study examines the influence of social media in shaping public opinion formation and decision-making in Varendra Region of Bangladesh, an area previously unexplored. Combining a mixed method approach, including surveys and open-ended question, the sample size of the study was 1053. It identifies key behavioral patterns from the netizens. Findings reveal that 67% of the respondents use social media on a regular basis, with 73% acknowledging the influence it has on their perspectives, especially regarding political and social issues. Facebook emerged as the most popular social media platform, while video content is the most preferred format. Influencers (68%) and peer networks (57%) significantly influence opinion formation, while 43% of users showed concerns about misinformation. Our study also explores echo chambers, with 62% of users was exposed to content that aligns with their pre-existing beliefs, reinforcing ideological polarization. In decision-making, social media has a key role in career choice and consumer behavior, with influencer endorsements (72%) and peer suggestions (61%) were the major drivers. Urban users showed higher engagement with news and politics (67%) and stronger media literacy (46%), at the same time rural users rely more on peer recommendations (71%). Mostly they consume content for entertainment (58%). Despite its potential to amplify marginalized voices, social media also presents risks such as misinformation, algorithmic bias, and polarization. The study recommends enhancing media literacy, promoting algorithmic transparency, and developing region-specific interventions to create an informed digital public sphere.