Title: How Does Technology Impact Politics? | Acquia
Headings: How Does Technology Impact Politics?
How Does Technology Impact Politics?
We’re going to take a deep dive into three major ways technology impacts the political landscape.
Technology as a Tool for Political Actors
Technology as a Political Topic and Campaign Platform
Technology as a Tool for the Public
Technology as a Double-Edged Sword
Politics and Open Source
Conclusion
Josh Anderson

Content: Facebook and Vine videos of protests and police brutality went viral and were broadcast on global media outlets, such as CNN and BBC. Another way that technology impacts politics for the better is through a more controversial, but nonetheless effective, method: exposing unethical or illegal behavior. For example, the “trail” that digital media leaves behind led to the downfall of Anthony Weiner, once a shining star in the Democratic Party, who was engaging in inappropriate behavior on Snapchat with a minor. Technology as a Double-Edged Sword
As any IT manager knows, the same advancements in technology that allow us to work and play in ways like never before also allow nefarious actors to cause disruption or harm like never before. While some hackers spend countless hours trying to access personal or financial information, many are dedicated to disrupting the political world. These efforts often go beyond simple hacking for the sake of hacking. For example, the hacktivist organization Anonymous is dedicated to exposing sensitive political and governmental information to the benefit of the public. Along similar lines, but with a more mission-focused bent, is the advent of “fake news,” a term coined during the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. Fake news is media written and published usually with the intent to mislead, in order to damage an entity or person, or to gain financially or politically.