Should Politicians Be On Social Media?

When politicians like AOC and Trump hop on social media, are they forming real connections with young people who might vote for them...or are they just being awkward? We paired up with PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs at Oakland Military Institute to see how #teensreact to politicians on TikTok, Twitter and Instagram. SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! https://bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.instagram.com/abovethenoisepbs/ https://twitter.com/ATN_PBS ** How important is social media for politicians? ** Social media ain't easy. It’s a new, confusing thing for a lot of politicians. But throughout American history, if politicians wanted to be successful, they had to master whatever communication tool was popular. Ben Franklin passed out pamphlets. FDR delivered his fireside chats over the radio. JFK won over America with TV. And now, it’s all about SOCIAL MEDIA. It started with Obama on Twitter back in 2008. And now Trump basically LIVES on Twitter. I mean love him or hate him, the dude is DEFINITELY being himself on there. ** Does social media help politicians with their campaigns? ** Within the first month of using a Twitter or Facebook account, politicians saw a small but significant increase in donations. Remember -- political campaigns run on donations, and most Americans donate in small amounts. We’re talking like 25 or 50 bucks. So a bump from social media can be huge. Social media also gives lesser-known candidates a low-cost option to communicate and make themselves known. Think about AOC, a representative from New York who came out of nowhere to win in 2018 and become the youngest member of Congress. It would have been REALLY hard for AOC to make the kind of impact she did even a decade ago when she would have had a hard time paying for TV and newspaper ads. ** What are the downsides to politicians using social media? ** Social media has something really unique going for it. It’s designed to keep you on it by getting you in what psychologists call "flow" -- a state of mind where you're so totally engrossed in a task you lose all sense of time. But that flow can turn dark real quick. I mean news flash -- politicians can lie. And when it happens on social media, misinformation and conspiracy theories can spread like wildfire. SOURCES Social Media and Political Contributions (SSRN) https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2836323 How Social Media Is Shaping Political Campaigns (University of Pennsylvania) https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/how-social-media-is-shaping-political-campaigns/ How Social Media Is Changing the Way Politicians Communicate (Magic Mile Media) https://www.magicmilemedia.com/blog/2019/4/15/how-social-media-is-changing-the-way-politicians-communicate Social media is rotting democracy from within (Vox) https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/22/18177076/social-media-facebook-far-right-authoritarian-populism 'Don’t Be Awkward' And Other Advice For Politicians On Instagram (WBUR) https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2019/01/11/elizabeth-warren-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-social-media-miles-howard The 2020 candidates are good at social media — until they make you cringe (Washington Post) https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/11/29/candidates-are-good-social-media-until-they-make-you-cringe/ Social Media Are Ruining Political Discourse (The Atlantic) https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/05/why-social-media-ruining-political-discourse/589108/ TEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. https://learn.kqed.org/discussions/86 About KQED KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source, leader, and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places, and ideas. Funding for KQED’s education services is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Koret Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the AT&T Foundation, the Crescent Porter Hale Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, Campaign 21 donors, and members of KQED. #politicans #socialmedia