May 05, 2016

Voting in a Digital World

***NOTE: I am a Google employee***

Who is responsible for informing the world on politics? This is a question that recently came up since it’s election season and both U.S. politicians and technology companies are experimenting with getting the word out to people -- like you! Check out some of the many ways social media is being leveraged to get you out the house and to the polls.

Facebook shows you a political card in your newsfeed and prompts you to take the following action(s):

• “Share You’re Registered” turns you into a voting advocate by encouraging you to post a politically driven message to your family and friends
• “Register Now” directs you to a U.S. government website so that you can register to vote
• “Find your polling location” shows you where your polling location is after typing in your address. How simple is that?

                                          

         

Google

• Reminds you to vote by telling you exactly when your state’s primary/caucus is via Google Now Cards.
• Makes you aware of new search features to find out more about specific candidates “Ted Cruz” and their stances on various political issues like “Hillary Clinton economic policies”
• Allows you to follow the results in state primaries/caucuses by searching for “primary results”

                

           

Snapchat

• Turns you into a digital voting advocate among your Snapchat followers by allowing you select a paid Snapchat filter -- instead of your go to photo filter
• Encourages you to follow the political scene in your local primary/caucus by watching a curated Snapchat story

              

           

Pretty cool stuff right? In a day and age where newspaper subscriptions are on the decline and social media is soaring among millennials, technology companies are starting to fill the information void. As a computer science teacher, I love this because it showcases how society directly impacts how we -- the people -- make decisions to vote, entertain and even plan family vacations. One thing to consider though is how this affects people who don’t have access to these resources. Are technology companies still responsible? What about newspaper publications and other media entities?

Let us know your thoughts and remember to vote in local, state and national elections!

#tech #voting #knowtheissues #election2016

References
On the road to the 2016 elections with Google Search (2016)
Facebook Asks People To Vote And Tell Friends, Shows Nearest Polling Place (2014)
Bernie Sanders launches 'Feel the Bern' Snapchat filters in lead up to Iowa caucuses (2016)

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