Question : How easy it is to gauge the effect of social media on the outcome of an election? Provide with related examples to support your argument.   (20 Marks) Provide references together.

How easy it is to gauge the effect of social media on the outcome of an election? Provide with related examples to support your argument.   (20 Marks) Provide references together.

One factor that cannot be denied is that social media has a major impact on both politics and election results. Currently, a large percentage of Americans get information from social media. Therefore, the media has a strong influence on almost every political decision that requires public participation (Wani, & Alone, 2014). When an individual has any doubts about the power of the media, the individual should ask Donald Tramp about it; he would tell you that the media wields more than the government in matters dealing with the USA's politics.

First, it is easy to estimate social media's effect as largely influential since they decide what to cover and what not to cover. Amazingly, the only issue that makes a candidate powerful enough is recognition (Wani, & Alone, 2014). Regina Lawrence, executive director of the SOJC's Agora Journalism Center, says that a candidate can go unnoticed since they could not impress the media. This means that the popularity of a politician depends on the media. Therefore, when the media does not make an election candidate popular, the official will most likely fail in the elections.

Moreover, the media's estimated impact on election results is exceptional since the media decides on the biasness of a story. Media platforms can print biased information and still convince American citizens that it is true. Therefore, when the media is against a candidate, then decides to cover false facts about the candidate, the news will reach a higher percentage of American voters, which will lead to the obvious result, which is a failure on the day of an election (Wani, & Alone, 2014). Consequently, social media directly influences the election result as it holds the chances of the success of a candidate in its palms.

Furthermore, the media has a high impact on the election results since it acts as the connecting channel between the voters and candidates. It is through media platforms that voters are likely to meet the candidates; for instance, most Americans have never had the chance to meet Donald Trump personally but have met them through the media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and in the news (Wani, & Alone, 2014). Voters cannot vote for candidates who they have never been connected to. Without connection with the voters, a candidate is likely to fail. Therefore the media has a large influence on the election results since it connects candidates and voters.

Additionally, the media has a large influence on the election results since they are responsible for checking polls and the polling processes. The media is responsible for taking part in the polling during the election day (Wani, & Alone, 2014). Another role of the media is to follow up on the election results to ensure no election violations, such as the ridging of votes, among others. The media decides whether the winner of the election won sincerely or through ridging. Therefore, the media has a large influence on the election results of various candidates.