The way to get people civically engaged, not just during the election but throughout the year, is to tap into Facebook and let them do it with their friends.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
When someone at the State Department proclaims Facebook to be the most organic tool for promoting democracy the world has ever seen - that's a direct quote - it may help in the short run by getting more people onto Facebook by making it more popular with dissidents.
We Facebook users have been building a treasure lode of big data that government and corporate researchers have been mining to predict and influence what we buy and for whom we vote. We have been handing over to them vast quantities of information about ourselves and our friends, loved ones and acquaintances.
The best way to appreciate our political process is to volunteer for a campaign and support a candidate you believe in.
I've found that when everyone rallies behind a cause, and when they learn their effort can contribute something bigger, they get engaged.
We have just been working hard to have people to come out to vote and to make sure people understand how important the election is.
My two daughters live on Facebook, and social media is their mode of communication.
As a writer and sometime activist who needs to promote my books and articles and occasionally rally people to one cause or another, I found Facebook fast and convenient. Though I never really used it to socialize, I figured it was OK to let other people do that, and I benefited from their behavior.
The only way you do anything is to become really active. And the most effective way to get your message to your elected representatives is to make campaign contributions and develop relationships with them.
You have to knock doors, make calls, and build a relationship with voters long before Election Day.
Everybody is looking for an election where they can do something and participate.