Social Media & Political Campaigns

With the upcoming presidential debates and elections, social media will play a more critical role than ever before.  Individuals will be able to follow the debates through Twitter and Facebook, and post their concerns and comments.  For instance in the GOP debate that happened recently, viewers were able to follow the debate on their phones without having to sit down and watch the action live on the television.  If a person was watching the debate, they could post their reactions on social media for others to view and comment.  In addition to commenting on the debates, individuals will be able to connect with the campaign trails of the candidates and follow their journey to the actual election through social media channels.  Because of this, individuals can be more active and connected to the election trail.

However, government and politics are a sensitive issue for many people in today’s society.  With the freedom to post comments and reactions on social media, internal debates may arise.  Posts can be controversial and Twitter wars, for example, may ensue.  This is where people may want to think twice about what they post.  Everyone has the right to express their opinion, but they must remember that what they say will be posted on the Internet.  People will be able to back up their viewpoint and challenge existing views and ideas by replying to the initial post.  I guess the thing to remember here is that everyone is an individual with unique ideas.  Because of this, we must respect other viewpoints even if they disagree with our personal thoughts. 

Since social media is gaining rapid popularity, candidates can use this to see what people are thinking about their campaign so far.  Social media can also give insight into what the people are concerned about in the world.  It can help guide what issues should take higher priority in a campaign.  For instance, the economy may worry numerous individuals or possibly the future of the environment.  By looking at social media for these concerns, candidates can focus on the issues facing Americans today.  This way they can connect to the American people on a more personal level.  Overall, social media will play a pivotal role in the upcoming election and needs to be analyzed in order to have a strong presidential campaign.