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Americans turning on social media, most think it hurts democracy: Poll
www.washingtonexaminer.com ^ | November 19, 2018 08:18 AM | by Katelyn Caralle

Posted on 11/19/2018 9:24:33 AM PST by Red Badger

U.S. adults have begun to turn on social media giants like Facebook and Twitter, and a majority believes that these social media platforms have done more to hurt democracy and free speech than help.

Last year, 43 percent of U.S. adults thought social media hurt society, but that increased to 57 percent in 2018, according to an Axios poll conducted through mid November.

Both Democrats and Republicans have soured on social media, as Republicans have claimed censorship of conservative voices, and Democrats have complained about the use of targeted ads that they say can be used to discriminate against minorities.

Nine percent more Democrats believe social media hurts free speech than last year, and 17 percent more Republicans feel that way, the poll said.

Overall, however, 63 percent of U.S. adults 18 and older say that social media plays a positive role in their lives, and 40 percent say social media has a positive affect on society.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
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1 posted on 11/19/2018 9:24:33 AM PST by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger

Facebook is quickly becoming ‘Grannybook’....................


2 posted on 11/19/2018 9:25:01 AM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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To: Red Badger

Which means at least 20% believe that it hurts democracy, but on the whole find it to have been a beneficial thing.

May your chains rest lightly upon you.


3 posted on 11/19/2018 9:26:56 AM PST by Hieronymus ((It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. --G. K. Chesterton))
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To: Red Badger

Who cares about Democracy? I worry about threats to the Republic. Democracy is a dream for uneducated people where their voice is heard. what nonsense. Democracy is the Tyranny of the Majority and its always all about Politics. Its always going to be a mess.


4 posted on 11/19/2018 9:27:19 AM PST by TonytheTiger7777
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To: Red Badger

I never understood how Facebook got involved with politics or pushing liberalism...

Isn’t Facebook supposed to be people sharing photos and life events and such?

Why did we hear about Facebook and the Facebook news feed? Why does Facebook have any news feeds at all? What am I missing?


5 posted on 11/19/2018 9:27:28 AM PST by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Dilbert San Diego

It’s the people that run it not the people on it. Liberals all....................


6 posted on 11/19/2018 9:32:17 AM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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To: TonytheTiger7777

If you tell just about anyone today that we have a republican form of government, or at least thats the way it was founded, you’ll find out that hey would think you mean the party.

They are ignorant.


7 posted on 11/19/2018 9:34:44 AM PST by crz
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To: Red Badger

Help this along.

If you own a business, or if you are on a govering board at an enterprise which provides WiFi block social media sites.


8 posted on 11/19/2018 9:36:40 AM PST by MrEdd (Caveat Emptor)
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To: Red Badger

I’ve had almost no interaction with social media for 5 or 6 years. I still have a facebook account only because I haven’t bothered to cancel it. I’ve only logged in about 5 or 6 times in the last 5 or 6 years. I never bothered with twitter or any of the others.


9 posted on 11/19/2018 9:37:17 AM PST by FLT-bird
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To: Red Badger

It’s Social(ist) Media, not social media.


10 posted on 11/19/2018 9:37:23 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi - Monthly Donors Rock!!!)
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To: MrEdd

Many of those ‘free’ WiFi sites are there just to steal your personal info..............


11 posted on 11/19/2018 9:39:13 AM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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To: NormsRevenge

Millenials, with their short attention spans, are dropping out of FB and others. The ‘coolness’ has worn off, now on to the next big shiny thingy.............


12 posted on 11/19/2018 9:40:51 AM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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To: Red Badger
It's the censoring that gets me.

If you talk "bad" about Hillary (even if it's the truth)...you are deleted.

If you talk bad about Trump, you get a thumbs up.

13 posted on 11/19/2018 9:41:08 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: FLT-bird

I deleted everything I had, which wasn’t much to begin with, and closed my FB account nearly a year and a half ago. Don’t miss it at all................


14 posted on 11/19/2018 9:42:09 AM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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To: Sacajaweau

Yes, that’s what made me finally delete my account. They preach ‘free speech’ while all the while killing it as fast as they can..............


15 posted on 11/19/2018 9:43:09 AM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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To: Dilbert San Diego
I never understood how Facebook got involved with politics or pushing liberalism...

1) They're Millenials
2) They're in San Francisco
3) Liberals in the 21st. Century politicize absolutely EVERYTHING!!


16 posted on 11/19/2018 9:43:54 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: crz

I usually delete the ‘an’ and just say ‘republic’.................


17 posted on 11/19/2018 9:44:28 AM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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To: TonytheTiger7777

Well said.


18 posted on 11/19/2018 9:50:58 AM PST by Theo (FReeping since 1998 ... drain the swamp.)
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To: Red Badger

It became politicized because liberals just can’t help themselves p. Politics are interjected into EVERYTHING. In my Facebook circle, the more politically active on social media, the greater chance of some poor life choices.


19 posted on 11/19/2018 10:29:51 AM PST by PrincessB
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To: PrincessB

The ‘liberal’ mindset is for the ‘government’ to be the Big Sugar Daddy and make all their little fantasies come true.

These people are the grown-ups that came from the kids you went to school with that were always whining and tattling and complaining about everything imaginable.

Their cries of ‘Teacher, Teacher! make Jimmy STOP doing X’ have been replaced by ‘Government! Government! Make ALL people STOP doing X’.......................


20 posted on 11/19/2018 10:35:24 AM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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