It’s a digital age we live in, and many of the systems we use nowadays are unbelievably different from what society engaged with just 30 years ago. Politics have rapidly embraced the space of social media, videos of politicians doing various outlandish activities are a common occurrence, showing them in various ways either to help their own or harm their opponent’s public image. These consumed biases do nothing to help the decision making at the voting booth. There are many alternatives to social media to receive political information such as rallies, published interviews and news coverage. These, while still having their own biases, generally defend citizens from the rampant biases so commonly found in the various social medias.
Rallies are heavily informative events, these can teach the public about the agendas through the direct words from the politician. Also, actions are easy to see at such places, and unlike with the media of our time, it’s much harder to warp something you see in front of you. Going to a political rally also introduces you to the communities that support such a political cause, it can introduce you to like-minded people and garner more insight into how the candidate can affect daily life. In-person events allow you to see what digital media can edit out, citizens will be able to receive the “real deal” from such events.
Televised interviews are also an amazing way to gain insight into a potential candidate. A structured interview can answer questions that you may have about the candidate, whether about their beliefs, their ideals or even their personal life. It’s not easy to ask a politician a question, so these interviews provide one of the few ways to understand more detailed points of a campaign. Interviews are quite accessible, news stations air them often and a site such as YouTube can contain some as well.
Lastly, news coverage is a consistent source for information on political happenings. A large critique of using the news for information about the political bias of various publishers. Luckily, it is quite easy to check the bias of news outlets through a quick internet browse. News publishers are constantly publishing articles concerning political developments, even during non-voting seasons. A helpful use of these articles is seeing the histories of some key political figures and the parties they represent.
Overall, there are many forms of media that are more informative than 30-second videos with unregulated bias. An uninformed or misinformed voter base is dangerous as many voters may misuse their vote, feeling cheated and frustrated afterwards when a politician acts opposite to their beliefs. Personally regulating the information consumed is crucial for potential voters, and social media does not provide reliable information like rallies or interviews would.
