Do you think the media and social networks help or hurt voters in the election p

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   timthechirpinbyrdposted 13 years ago

   Do you think the media and social networks help or hurt voters in the election process?

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   Bruno Mooreposted 13 years ago

   I think it's both--It helps promote the democracy we are lucky to live in, but it also helps to broadcast the misleading rhetoric on both sides

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      timthechirpinbyrdposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      And that's probably why a lot of people get confused as they take in the rhetoric on both sides without thoroughly researching on their own.  I totally agree.

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   Nathan Orfposted 13 years ago

   It depends on the media source. Some news networks and radio networks are more accurate, reliable and non-partisan in their coverage of political events than others are. The trick is to make sure that one gets their news from a wide variety of sources, so that they have access to different angles of coverage.
   
   The same goes for social networks, though they can be even more tricky. It is easier than ever to fall into an "us vs. them" mentality when it is possible to communicate with people across the country. People have to pay more attention online, because they can never be easily sure that they are getting all the facts.
   
   In short, it is very easy for people to become misinformed by any sort of media. Use them wisely, and they can be very useful, and add to the democratic process. Use them poorly, and they can be a hindrance.

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      timthechirpinbyrdposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That's true.  I didn't think about that.  Thanks.

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   34th Bomb Groupposted 13 years ago

   It depends on if they're being objective or not.
   Mainstream media are horribly non-objective and I wouldn't base my vote on what someone "tweets."
   People must think for themselves. Do a little research. Get info from many different sources, i.e. CNN, MSNBC and FOX and draw their own conclusions.
   Fat chance.

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      timthechirpinbyrdposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I agree that voters should form their own opinion based on information gathered.

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   Josh Bellposted 13 years ago

   As 34th Bomb Group said, people need to learn to think for themselves. Most media is subjective and leans either left or right. They aren't truly bi-partisan like they should be. Social networking is even more subjective, since it mostly just other people's opinions. Voters need to do their own research and form opinions for themselves.

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      timthechirpinbyrdposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Well said Josh.  Do you think family and friends influences ones decision to vote a certain way?

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      Josh Bellposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Absolutely, Tim, and I think that's a big part of the problem.  I can't even tell you how many adults I know who vote a certain way simply because that's how their parents vote, and that's how they were raised as kids.

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