This document discusses how social media has changed and will continue to impact political campaigns and elections in the United States. It explores how politicians now use social media to directly engage with voters, especially younger generations, and how advocacy groups are also utilizing social media to encourage civic engagement. By 2016, social media use had become a common campaign tool as demonstrated by Barack Obama's successful use of sites like Twitter and Facebook in his presidential elections. Future research questions consider whether social media changes how people think about elections and whether following politicians on social media makes people more likely to vote.
2. How has social media changed the way political candidates
interact with potential voters?
How will social media continue to impact political
participation in the United States?
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
4. Media has always played a role in politics
Social Media is changing the way younger generations
participate in politics
Social Media allows politicians to be forth their agendas
directly
Social Media provides an opportunity for expansive
conversation
Advocacy Groups also use social media to encourage civic
engagement
5. Barak Obama’s successful use of social media made sites like
Twitter and Facebook, a more common campaign tool.
By 2016, every presidential candidate had an active social
media account.
2008 AND 2016 PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS
7. Politicians held accountable for their actions
Can interact with voters in an informal setting
8. Does social media change the way people think about
elections and politicians?
Are people more likely to vote in an election if they follow
politicians on social media?
FUTURE RESEARCH
Notas del editor
Politicians knew that they needed to have a good relationship with the media in order to get reelected
Social media allows politicians to interact directly with potential voters, they are able to put forth information without the media changing it. Politicians cannot be silenced on their own social media accounts.
Social media also allows people to learn more about the candidate and interact with them directly
Advocacy groups also use social media to put forth their agendas and encourage people to vote and fulfill their civic duty, this includes groups like the ACLU
These groups are also helping voters hold their politicians acountable
In 2008 only 29% of people surveyed by the PEW research center said they got information about the campaign or candidates from social media sites
Obama’s 2008 Campaign was the first to use twitter as an effective way to share political information
In the 2016 Presidential Campaign, candidates’ twitter accounts were intensely monitored and scrutinized by the public
It recently came out that Russia used fake Facebook and Twitter accounts to sway the 2016 election towards Trump