Month: September 2022

Social Media: An Opportunity or Danger for Politics?

September 25, 2022 John Bowser

Politics and social media

 

Are social media more of an opportunity or a danger for politics?

With this keyword, I first have to give the all-clear: In Germany, social media do not yet play a major role. For only seven percent of the German population, social networks are the main medium, one percent inform themselves exclusively there.

The majority are still looking for their information on other channels. Overall, this applies to most countries in Europe that have a strong public service broadcaster.

Social media is a way to motivate people to be interested in elections and politics. This has been the case for politicians who even use a Social Media marketing panel  in their campaign efforts. At the same time, however, they are also a gateway for false information. At the moment, however, we have no indications that these elections in Germany are endangered by social media. The problem here is currently not just any powers from outside, but political actors who do not take the truth very seriously.

How important is social media for the parties?

They are increasingly relying on it. The parties have the feeling that citizens expect them to be present and visible there, and that is true. Even if many people still inform themselves in the classic media, so-called snack news is becoming increasingly important. This means that people want to be informed as quickly and incidentally as possible, and then in times of smartphones, headlines are often enough. Exactly this kind of short, fast information is provided by Facebook & Co. In addition, people who would otherwise not follow news and would never buy a newspaper can accidentally come into contact with news on social media. We call this “incidental news exposure”. The news randomly joins the colorful timeline on Facebook.

What power do social networks have in this context?

The algorithms of the platforms are based on the behavior of the users, as well as on that of their friends. You then provide the content that pleases. The social networks want to optimize these user experiences and this can lead to users remaining in their own ‘echo chamber’. This means that they remain among people who are not interested in politics, do not follow any news media, and are not friends with people who do so. And that’s why no corresponding content appears with them. Thus, not only the algorithms of the platforms are the problem, but rather the personal decision of who I follow or what I choose. With regard to disinformation campaigns, we must appeal to people to scrutinize the content on social networks attentively and critically. Because networks like Facebook are filled with so much content that they can hardly be controlled, neither by humans nor by machines, the networks themselves have recognized this much too late.

 

ALSO READ: Why is it Important to Understand the Responsibility that Comes with Being a Politician?

 

Which networks are particularly important in Germany?

That always depends on the target group. The networks play a different roles in different social groups: In Germany, Facebook is the most important network because it reaches the most people. For younger people, however, platforms such as YouTube or WhatsApp are more in focus. And Twitter is being used more by people who are already interested in politics.

How good are the parties in Germany in dealing with social media?

This is very different. For right-wing populist parties, social media is the central place to recruit and get their message across. Here they can largely claim what they want with impunity and thus promote their position. With their know-how and the knowledge of how networks work, they reach many people. Their messages are also often emotional and social networks target this content. Because when emotions are aroused, people stay on it longer, that’s the goal of the platforms and we fall for it. Other parties, on the other hand, are still struggling to find this tone. You can tell it’s not their normal way of communicating.

The Effect of Politics to Inflation and Economy

September 16, 2022 John Bowser

Ever since inflation showed its ugly head, economists have been arguing about whether it is a temporary problem or a structural problem. Some economists even make a distinction between “good” inflation and “bad” inflation. But political scientists look at inflation from the point of view of how it affects the American voter, which makes the problem much clearer. The effect on working-class voters could be bad for Democrats in the midterm elections.

As long as inflation keeps going up, the Biden administration can’t turn a blind eye to what people are going through every day. The vast majority of Americans say that inflation is a big worry. But as prices have gone up in the most visible parts of the economy, like food, gas, and electricity, the effects have been different for Americans with low and high incomes.

Think about it like this: Some people add up the cost of each item as they put it in their shopping cart to make sure they have enough money to pay when they get to the checkout counter. Others just put the things they want in their carts without thinking about how much it will cost. These two groups are very different. For the first group, inflation is a daily worry, especially at the gas station and the grocery store, two places most Americans can’t avoid. Americans with higher incomes should worry about inflation, but it doesn’t hurt them as much.

It’s not surprising that 13% of people without a college degree say they are having a hard time, and 40% say they are having a hard time. For people with a college degree, the effects aren’t as bad; only 4% say they’re having a hard time and 26% say they’re having a moderate time.

The most affected by inflation are also the key swing voters in the last two presidential elections. This is because a big education gap has opened up between the two parties since the last two elections.

So, the government shouldn’t have too many political hopes, at least in the short term. People’s opinions about the economy tend to change much later than the economy itself, so the inflation rate would have to drop quickly by this spring at the latest for people to change their minds about how the government is handling this problem. Based on what we know from the past, it is unlikely that the current rise in inflation will end quickly.

Getting the rate of inflation down will have a big political effect on the 2024 presidential election, but the government will need a lot of luck to do this before the midterms in 2022.

Political Factors that May Affect Your Business

September 14, 2022 Abraham Sammie

 

Your santa clara towing business may be impacted by multiple ecological external forces. Managers frequently take a thorough look at each of these aspects. Making smarter selections is always the goal for the growth of the business. Political, economic, social, and technological factors are some of the frequent ones (known as PEST analysis). Businesses also research demographic, legal, and ethical issues.

Political influences on business are frequently given a lot of weight. Government policy can have an impact on company in a number of ways. Every business must abide by the law. Managers need to understand how new laws may impact their operations.

Effect on the economy

A nation’s political climate has an impact on its economic environment. The business performance is impacted by the economic climate.

For instance, Democratic and Republican policies in the US differ significantly. Taxes and government spending are influenced by this, and they eventually have an impact on the economy. Increasing government spending frequently boosts the economy.

Regulation alterations

Governments may change their laws and ordinances. This can then have an impact on a company.

The US SEC began paying closer attention to business compliance in the wake of the early twenty-first-century accounting scandals. The Sarbanes-Oxley compliance standards were established by the government in 2002. This was a response to the surrounding social climate. The social context pushed for a move to increase the liability of public enterprises.

Political Resilience

Business activities are impacted by political unrest in a nation. This is especially true for businesses that conduct business worldwide.

For instance, a forceful takeover could topple a government. This might cause riots, looting, and widespread mayhem in the neighborhood. These impede how businesses operate. During its civil war, Sri Lanka was in a comparable situation. There were unrests in Egypt and Syria as well.

Risk Mitigation

One strategy to control political risk is to purchase political risk insurance. Such insurance is used by businesses with global operations to lessen hazards.

There are different indices that provide information on the level of risk exposure in various nations. A excellent illustration is the economic freedom index. Based on how local politics affect business choices, countries are ranked.

 

 

A Guide to Decorating a Political Speech Venue

September 1, 2022 Quinten Shantel

If you’re planning to give a speech or appear as a speaker at an event, you will most likely have to choose the location and decor of your speech venue as well.

Decorating a Political Speech Venue

If you choose the wrong venue for your political speech, the message you’re trying to send might not be picked up correctly by your audience and there are many other things to consider as well before choosing a venue for any type of event.

Here we explain everything you need to know about choosing and decorating a political speech venue.

Tips for Choosing the Right Political Speech Venue

When choosing a venue for your political speech, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

  • Relevance – The venue needs to be relevant to the occasion and your political speech. If you are going to talk about world peace, an extravagant venue that is indoors will not be appropriate.
  • Atmosphere – The venue needs to have the right atmosphere for your speech. An overly-bright venue might be distracting and make you feel uncomfortable and out of place, while a dimly-lit venue might make your speech too mysterious and sinister.
  • Size – The venue size might matter depending on the type of event. If you are having a political speech in a small venue, you’re probably going to have an intimate event where there will only be a small audience.

Types of Venues for Political Speeches

There are many different types of venues that are used for political speeches. Here are two of the most common ones.

  • Indoor venues – An indoor venue is a great option if you are giving a political speech during the winter or during a rainy season. It is also a good choice if you are in a very hot climate where an outdoor venue would be too hot to be bearable.
  • Outdoor venues – An outdoor venue is perfect for a political speech during the summer when the weather is generally warm and you can open the windows and doors to let in fresh air. You should make sure to screw all of what needs to be screwed to have a smooth flow of the event. You can use Scrooz fasteners for greater assurance.