Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Facebook Campaign

Want to know how your favorite candidates are doing in the polls -- or maybe just among tech-savvy professionals, college and high school students?

Now, facebook.com, the second most profitable social networking website, after myspace.com, has added new features that allow members to choose candidates they support and join groups that are made for certain candidates. In a group called "Deval Patrick for Massachusetts Governor," there are an astonishing 4,300 members. But, in the Healey/Hillman group, there are only 23.

Election Pulse shows the percentage of students who support a particular candidate in their profile, and is updated nightly. Patrick is currently at 73.81 percent, and Healey is at 14.41 percent.

Senator George Allen, who has been in the news since his "Macaca" remarks and the revelation of his Jewish heritage, had appeared to be headed for easy victory over his opponent, newcomer James Webb. Now Election Pulse shows Allen trailing behind Webb, 56 percent to 43 percent.

Facebook users can also use the Campaign Issues Search. Search for "illegal immigrants," and the results include various groups organized around the subject, users who mentioned the subject in their profile, and candidate profiles and views.

Facebook's new features encourage high school, college students, and young professionals to pay attention to politics and the November election. For all those who worry about members of the future generation, this shows that they are politically aware.

Posted by Swati Gauri Sharma at 04:25 PM

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dan said:

this is a test of the emergency comment system. if this was an actual emergency, it would be followed by the sound of tech producers screaming.

posted September 6, 2007 10:40 AM

dan said:

testing "quotes" in coment's fields. don't won't can't shouldn't all ready did

posted September 10, 2007 3:33 PM

Dorothy Barker said:

test for gideon

posted September 24, 2007 5:57 PM