I have never found social media to be a fad. Ok, so in reality I thought that twitter was a fad and I saw no sense in a site like twitter when you can post update on other social media sites like facebook or myspace. After watching the two video's, it backed up my claim that social media wasn't a 'fad'. It also allowed me to see how a site like twitter can be very powerful to get your messages across to a large number of people (though I hate to admit it about twitter LOL).
Leading up to the 2012 elections, social media will be crucial, especially in a time where we have such a divided government. That's why Obama is extensively using social media sources to reach voters. Another way it can impact the 2012 elections is that each candidate and or campaign can engage citizens. It can also facilitate grassroots organizations and craft legislation. Politicians have found out that they can "spam" socail media sited to reach more people, and it's also cheaper than paying for TV ads to get their point(s) across.
There was also a point made about how social networking can make it easier for governments to dismantle protest movements. Not something that I really think about everyday, but when looking at countries like China it totally makse sense. Social media also allows people to be selective in choosing their news with social media (ex: internet, YouTube, TV, cable TV). That's something that I know all to well. Some things that are in the news I could care less about, like the latest trends or celebrity gossip. I would rather have news updates sent to my phone about current events from around the world, or breaking news. But... social media also allows you to tailor it to your own specific needs.
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