05/10/16 - How Facebook could swing the election — and who will benefit if it does

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/09/30/how-facebook-could-swing-the-election-and-who-will-benefit-if-it-does/

The article is targeting the issue of face book's influence on the upcoming US presidential election. There are issues raised such as echo-chambers and hyper-targeted ads. They are driving more and more people to the polls and research shows that they are all leaning towards a more Democrat vote. Facebook encourages its users to vote and even has an 'I Voted' button which tells their friends the they have voted and vice-versa. The banners they have released have also prompted more people to register to vote. The largest so far was a 200 000 person rise in California. However many don't end up turning  up to actually vote.

o“Facebook can influence millions of votes by the literal press of a button,” said Michael Brand
o After the Facebook banner was released last week more people registered to vote, the largest recorded being 200 000 people rise in registering.
oIronically, Kemp is a Republican; his party wouldn’t benefit, in all likelihood, if “all Facebook users” heeded his call. Georgia’s current active electorate skews white and Republican. Facebook’s demographics, on the other hand, favor young people, people of color and women.

I think that ultimately the public benefit the most, even by a small amount. more people actually signing up to vote is already a large step, potentially the largest step that has come as a result of any platform advertisement, however the echo chamber is a large and potentially detrimental factor to the democracy, People may only follow others who have the same view as them and the algorithms of Facebook show them things that are related to what they have liked and shown an interest in, so rather than being exposed to other ideas and opinions, or anything from the opposing side for that matter. This means that rather than being able to fully be a aware of both sides of the political campaign, they are only aware of either what they knew or thought about in the first place or what their friends and family thing. The lack of variations of views and values means that there is not a proper debate or even understanding of what is going on and the consequences. Furthermore, despite the rise in people registering to vote, people still aren't turning up, so nothing is actually being done. Something else has to encourage them to use the vote that they have registered for and what is their right and obligation as a citizen.