Facebook, Politics and Young Voters

The 2008 presidential election set the stage for the use of social media in politics.

In a sea of social media websites, Facebook has grown to be one of the most popular. Originally, Facebook’s purpose was connecting classmates.

Now, more lawmakers and political candidates are jumping on the Facebook bandwagon in hopes of reaching young, Internet savvy voters.

Is this type of outreach really effective? Does it help politicians and their younger constituents communicate?

Senior business management major, Amy Williams does not even use Facebook for political updates. Williams says she is much more likely to get campaign information from the New York Times, rather than a candidate’s Facebook profile.

Some students find the personal profiles of politicians unsettling. Williams shays she isn’t concerned with a candidate’s favorite movie and she “would rather know more about policy” because anything else “doesn’t feel genuine.”

Jennifer McKenna, an exercise science major, also seeks sincerity from her lawmakers. McKenna has a problem not knowing if it is the actual politician who updates the online account. “I honestly think the only one who updates is Denis Kucinich,” claims Mckenna.

There has not been a mainstream discussion on who is behind these social profiles, but many political camps now employ a “new media team” to run online outreach.

The role of social media is expanding, but its effects may be limited on a skeptical audience.