Hank [BS/MSEE,
MSM $$$, Ph.D. Mgmt] teaches 
Yesterday, ABC News joined with social networking site Facebook to launch an online political initiative that will combine the latest news from the campaign trail with a variety of discussion and interactive forums. Yea, right!
"By combining the technology of Facebook with editorial content from ABC News and ABCNEWS.com, the U.S. Politics application will give the site’s 55 million active members ways to learn about and debate the issues in the upcoming election," the companies said.
For many reasons, I seriously doubt that this effort will result in what Fox News calls "fair and balanced" reporting. For instance, there is a strong backing for Mr. Obama among Facebook users, with 164,000 declared supporters, more than twice as many as any other candidate. But you have to grant Facebook this, they are going where others haven’t and/or fear to go for which I salute them! The question is, will young minds be nurtured by this effort?
To access the application, search for "U.S. Politics" in the search field of Facebook.com.
Some of you may be looking for an excuse NOT to study for finals which aren’t that far away. Below is a 4+ minute video out of Singapore the purpose of which ostensibly is to encourage tech firms to consider residing there. You be the judge of the efficacy of their effort. Hank
I think that there can be some heated debates on Facebook, as long as the topic is “hot” enough. There may be a tendency, however, to start putting the emphasis on arguing with each other rather than just learning about the platforms of the candidates and central issues of this campaign. We’ll see what happens, I guess.
I`m really exited to see that ABC and Facebook are working together. Facebook is filled with intelligent college students that enjoy discussing politics. Now we can share our ideas about politicians and bills with others, yeah! I think this is going to be a really cool marriage. This will also be great advertising for ABC.
Typically, there is a low voter turnout for the college aged population. I think it is great that ABC is promoting the issues of the debates to encourage “us” to vote. However, I don’t know if partnering with Facebook is the best way to influence “us” to go vote. I probably won’t log onto Facebook to see the latest polls or debate topics.
Its great that ABC is starting to work with Facebook, i think Facebook could be a huge untapped resource for distributing information. With college aged kids always having a low voting turn out. Facebook could be a great way to get college students taking about voting and political issues.
I like the idea, but I don’t agree with Fox thinking that this application will be balanced and fair. I believe demographics play a large part in this for facebook users. States have their own political boundaries, and out of the millions of facebook users here in the U.S., these boundaries come into play. Also not everyone enjoys political discussions and not everyone will add the application. This is just another step from facebook showing that it truly is ‘destructive’ in the online networking field.
Its I think going to be an interesting application, but its even more interesting to see facebook and ABC working together. Just recently if I recall right ABC did a news story on how facebook was bad for the public to put it simply. I think that this might help the voting turn out though bcause now college students might take the time and vote since they will have a knowledge about each of the candidates. ABC is trying to provide us with knowledge about the candidates and to encourage us to vote. This will also bring some heated debates and it might just make it a better application and better election as well. I look forward to seeing how this application does in the online world.
I think this is a good idea. It obviously will not be fair, but it is a good way to get college and high school students involved in politics and go out and vote. It like the Vote or Die campaigne they were trying to get going during last election. Almost everyone has a Facebook and I think it is a good way to get the younger population of America involved.
I think this new facebook application is a great idea. It allows the millions of people who use facebook to openly discuss their political views with their peers on the internet. It could possibly amount to heated debates among facebookers. Although, it would be interesting to know what facebook receives out of this deal with ABC.
I know I will not be adding the politics application. It is hard to know what is the truth and when things start going to lies. I never watch campaign ads because all they do is try to discredit the other opponent and not say what they plan to do in office.
This might get more college students to vote but I think it is more that college students dont vote because you have to go through absentee voting and it is just inconvience.
Well, This is the first Asian rap I have ever seen and it is, well, interesting. Think that this video shows how people are starting to care about reaching young people and getting them motivated. This video also demostares a huge generation gap. For a older generation, this would be like Nixon singing a hippie song and dancing with some hippies at woodstock. It just seems so unnatural. I think the effort is nice, though. I anyone whats to see some good foriegn rap go to http://youtube.com/watch?v=GqpnsYmOMtQ or type in B.U.G. mafia Strazile.
This new application is a great idea. it will get more people involved in the political system, and give others a chance to express their thoughts about the issues and also the candidates that are involved. With all the people on facebook, i dont think that it will be hard to find a good amount of people that support each of the candidates.
Along the “boomers as entrepreneurs” track… Hank, have you seen this?
http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/startupbasics/startupbasicscolumnistbradsugars/article186818.html
Personally, I can’t tell you anything about the political system right now. I think by adding this application to facebook it would be educational for people. I know that I would use it and it would help me to learn more about whats going on right now. I don’t take the time to watch the news but if this application is on facebook I’m sure that I would take the time to at least browse through it!
only 164,000 out of 55 million users are openly backing Obama!! Just because people havent voiced there opinions thus far i think that with this new application many more people will be inclined to start talking politics on facebook. Who says the other 54 something million people will be supporting Obama?
It’s starting to get interesting to see how news outlets are taking advantage of today’s popular websites. First, CNN teams up with YouTube in order to provide for a better political debate, and now, ABC and Facebook have teamed up to create a way for people on facebook to become more knowledgeable about politics. The Facebook-ABC team up is a great and interesting idea, and I’m sure it will allow for many people to become much more involved with politics. I agree with most of the people on here in saying that it won’t be “fair and balanced” but since when is politics ever fair and balanced? This will allow for people who want to be more into politics to do so, and for the people on facebook who aren’t into it, it’s just another application that they can ignore the invites for.
I think definitely think the idea of a Fox application on Facebook is interesting, but I find the rap at the bottom of the blog even more interesting. It is just like the Facebook situation, a group of people attempting to try something different in order to gain. Um, don’t know if the rap is working for me… so hopefully Facebook has more luck. Even though, I do like it when they say “you can holler at us 24/7″… that cracked me up!
Ahhhh I am so very over all of the facebook hype. This “networking” site has completely morphed into a whole new type of beast..which seems to be dominating everything it can. i am actually finding it a little bit obnoxious. maybe we will get really lucky..and it will become its own media outlet..and compete with fox news..msnbc..and the like. i wonder if they are trying to evolve into more of an msn function. a one stop area where you can access news..life topics..weather..classifieds..shopping..etc etc.
I guess..a positive would be- that posting on relevant and informative topics..is a little more productive then the endlessly refreshing your friends list in efforts to akwardly troll for new information..but- i am still a little bitter. haha.