Title: How Social Media Has Changed Politics
Headings: How Social Media Has Changed Politics
How Social Media Has Changed Politics
10 Ways Twitter and Facebook Have Altered Campaigns
Direct Contact With Voters
Advertising Without Paying For Advertising
How Campaigns Go Viral
Tailoring the Message to the Audience
Fundraising
Controversy
Feedback
Weighing Public Opinion
It's Hip
The Power of Many

Content: 08
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Weighing Public Opinion
The value of social media is in its immediacy. Politicians and campaigns do absolutely nothing without first knowing how their policy statements or moves will play among the electorate. Twitter and Facebook both allow them to instantaneously gauge how the public is responding to an issue or controversy. Politicians can then adjust their campaigns accordingly, in real time, without the use of high-priced consultants or expensive polling. 09
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It's Hip
One reason social media is effective is that it engages younger voters. Typically, older Americans tend to make up the largest portion of voters who actually go to the polls. But Twitter and Facebook have energized younger voters, which, in turn, had a profound impact on elections. President Barack Obama was the first politician to tap into the power of social media during his two successful campaigns. 10
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The Power of Many
Social media tools have allowed Americans to easily join together to petition the government and their elected officials, leveraging their numbers against the influence of powerful lobbyists and monied special interests. Make no mistake, lobbyists and special interest still have the upper hand, but the day will come when the power of social media allows like-minded citizens to join together in ways that will be just as powerful.