Social media has become a phenomenally transformative force in the digital age, shaping public attitudes in the most high-profile ways across the continent. In this study article, we explore the influence of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter on individuals' development, discourse, and attitudes. Billions of users mean that social media has evolved into a powerful tool in marketing, socialising, political activism, and distributing information. This paper explores misinformation, opinion polarisation, and reinforcement of prior beliefs mediated by algorithms, echo chambers and viral text. In addition, we examined how social media allows the under-represented to access viewpoints and become civically engaged / alternative viewpoints. The report discusses the positive and negative implications of social media influence by examining case studies, surveys, and prior research. Four key focus areas are consumer behaviour, social justice movements, public health messaging, and political elections. The findings revealed that social media enhances the opportunities for manipulative influences, misinformation, and decreases trust in traditional media organisations, while enhancing real-time communication and democratising information access. The paper suggests that politicians, educators, and users must all become acquainted with social media influence operations. With the premise that social media should be a positive force in developing informed, inclusive, and resilient public opinion in the digital age, the report recommends stronger digital literacy and more transparent platform policies and legislation.