Facebook, Twitter and texting, media part of the every college student’s life, are tools that might actually motivate them to vote.
The poll covered young adults ages 18-29, also known as Millennials, who said reminders from Facebook and text messages are the most effective communication tools in reminding them to vote.
Paul T. Conway, president of Generation Opportunity, said young adults use social media in a time of unemployment and economic uncertainty.
“Young adults use these technologies daily to discuss how the economy has delayed their futures and how to manage their lives in the midst of very little economic opportunity,” Conway said.
Scott Wall, a junior from Park City, majoring in entrepreneurship, said political commentary on Facebook would not be a deciding factor in his voting.
“I feel that people who are smart enough to do anything about the current political problems are too busy to be discussing it over Facebook,” Wall said. “Who cares what they know if they don’t actually do anything with their new-found knowledge?”
Generation Opportunity, the organization that conducted the poll, aims to organize and get young adults to act through social media.
When asked which communication tool would be most effective in getting them to vote, 66 percent of Millennials voted for Facebook reminder messages, 58 percent voting for text messaging and 38 percent for email reminders. Public service announcements and phone reminders were last, with 28 percent and 13 percent of the votes respectively.
While Michael Garner, a political consultant in Falls Church, Va., agreed social media is giving young adults a platform to voice their opinions, he disagreed with the notion that reminders via social media would actually get Millennials to vote.
“Facebook, Twitter and the Blogosphere inform young voters and allow them to discuss issues in a way never before imagined,” Garner said. “Social media acts more as a catharsis than anything else. It allows young people to vent and feel better about themselves without effecting real change.”
Clark Callahan, assistant professor of communication studies, emphasized that awareness did not equate to behavioral change.
“You have to be careful about assuming social media’s influence on actually changing behaviors,” Callahan said. “There is no doubt it increases awareness, but there is some doubt as to whether it actually affects behavior over … family or friends.”
