How The Internet Is Playing A Major Role In The 2016 Election | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

How The Internet Is Playing A Major Role In The 2016 Election

People say it's the first Internet election.

24
How The Internet Is Playing A Major Role In The 2016 Election
cbsistatic

As the times change, so do our elections. Technology a the key to learning more about a candidate. New technology creates new ways of reaching the people, as we have seen in the past. In 1960, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon faced off in the first televised presidential debate. In 2010, Obama became the first president to send out a Tweet. Now, it is 2016, and this year will be known to many as the first “internet election."

For a generation who is constantly on the internet, this is great news. Instead of tuning into a debate or speech, we finally have the capability to go online and learn about the candidates at our will at any time. It is easy to find information on any candidate without looking too hard. This election we have seen that candidates freely post to social media and have supports who do too. Opinions are everywhere, but how about the facts?

Unfortunately, the world is flooded with bias. Although opinions are healthy and protected, it is hard to form an opinion on a candidate when twisted information is easier to find than solid facts. Eli Pariser, a digital critic, has said that “the internet has become personalized rather than universal.” Many arguments are made solely from opinions rather than hard evidence. Many people find other people who believe the same thing they do, rather than looking at facts.

With this being said, there is no doubt a person can go looking for a crooked opinion and find someone who can back it up in some way.It is only natural that voters would look for information that supports their views, but the Internet makes it too easy. Not only is it the information that is affecting us, it is also our brains. Nicholas Carr says that the Internet is "restructuring our brains' so that we skim the surface of information.

Not only do the voters of the Internet have an impact on our views, the candidates also have a voice online as well. With Clinton and Trump having over 6 million followers on Twitter, it is no doubt their voices are heard all over the country. Twitter has proved in the last year to be a huge social media for candidates to take advantage of.

Since 87 percent of adults in the US use the internet, it would be surprising if the Internet wasn't a major source of information on the upcoming election. Although information has a strong bias, whether purposefully or not, the Internet is a great way to relay information. If voters can better their abilities to distinguish the truth from distorted reality, the Internet has a bright future in the world of elections.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times Michael Scott's Life Was Worse Than Your Life

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

1100
Michael Scott
NBC

Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

16025
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

3341
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments