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Could Facebook Rig the 2016 Election?

Posted

June 13, 2016

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Facebook occupies a remarkably large role in people’s daily lives. In the United States, 72% of online adults have a Facebook account, and these users spend as nearly as much time on the site per day (39 minutes) as they do socializing with people face-to-face (43 minutes). The scope of the social network’s power also extends to media—particularly digital media—where 40% of all news traffic in the U.S. now originates on the site. The sheer size and scope of Facebook might not be as alarming if it were an unfiltered conduit of information, like Twitter for example. Contrary to popular belief, however, Facebook is highly curated and filtered content pipeline. The social network’s role in dictating the American news diet means their ability to tilt an election has never been greater. In this video, Atlantic associate editor Robinson Meyer explores all the ways that Facebook could skew the 2016 election.

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United StatesRobinson Meyer

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