Social media has definitely been a vital tool for political news and election campaigns. People are tuned in more than ever, especially because of Twitter, Facebook and Youtube. Studies have shown that people of all ages, especially between 18-29 and 30-49, use Twitter to track politics at very similar rates. According to “Cell Phones, Social Media, and Campaign”, Republicans and Democrats use Twitter at similar rates as well. However, Republicans were found to have a stronger desire to find out news first before everyone else. I found it interesting that they use media to find out unfiltered news more than anybody else, considering that many far-right and conservative people often use Twitter to spread fake news and propaganda.
Social media also gives regular citizens a sense of feeling more connected to politicians. They are very likely to find the content that politicians post interesting, relevant or even humorous. It humanizes them and makes them feel more relatable. For example, I follow Obama on Twitter because he became president when I was starting to get into social media and Twitter at age 13. He is relatable, insightful and empathetic in ways that Trump is not. Following politicians is also a way to get more reliable information than what is available from traditional news outlets because often times it comes straight from the politician.
Social media is more useful than ever when it comes to political campaigns and elections because it is apart of our generation NOW. It was not heavily used prior to the last 2 elections. With the ever changing evolution of media, it is a vital tool for spreading information, politicizing important movements and stimulating citizen engagement. You can watch a debate on the CNN app or use hashtags to find out information. Overall it allows us to have access to the people we are voting into office, and access to changes that we would like to see in our government.
