Youth Engagement with Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement through Social Media Influence and Awareness: A Malaysian Perspective

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has become a defining lens through which social media audiences engage with the Palestinian humanitarian crisis on social media. Since the escalation of conflict in Gaza in October 2023, platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook have emerged as primary channels through which young Malaysians encounter, discuss, and share BDS-related content. Yet what motivates them to move beyond passively consuming this material toward deliberately sharing it with peers remains an open question, one with meaningful implications for understanding digital activism among Generation Z. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), this study investigates the role of attitude, social norms, and perceived behavioural control in shaping intention to share BDS information on social media. A quantitative survey was administered to 403 university students at public and private universities in Malaysia’s Klang Valley, with data analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that students’ personal attitudes toward the BDS movement and their confidence in navigating social media are the most meaningful drivers of sharing intention. Peer and social pressure, by contrast, did not emerge as a significant influence, pointing to the conclusion that when a cause resonates personally and morally, individual conviction and digital self-efficacy matter considerably more than social conformity. These insights extend the theoretical application of TPB into the domain of politically engaged digital activism and offer practical guidance for educators, campaign designers, and platform stakeholders seeking to foster informed and purposeful youth participation in global social movements.

Keywords: BDS, boycott, social movement, digital activism, youths.