Social Media or Cable News in American Democracy Functioning

Social Media or Cable News in American Democracy Functioning

It is correct to establish that the use of social media has changed the perspectives of individuals through its effects on contemporary democracy within America. It can be found that the use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter hinder contemporary democracy within the United States. The perspective taken towards social media was developed towards promoting democratic ideas and making the elections within the United States adhere to contemporary concepts. However, it is correct to indicate that the user account breaches, fake news developed, and effect in the influence on campaigns it played, primarily in the presidential election in 2016, hindered the democratic benchmark of popular sovereignty (Birgenheier Ch 3). The polls within the United States would not be depicted to be free and fair through the effect Facebook had on the voters. Furthermore, on the other hand, cable news such as CNN and Fox News have tremendously strengthened then benchmarks of democracy within America. For instance, CNN shows that help to highlight the nature of politics in America have provided light to the public to build on democracy. Moreover, political liberty within the country is protected through such cable news. Consequently, it is reasonable to maintain that the contemporary function of the democratic ideals has been bolstered by cable news through the shows that illustrate on the state affairs and further, social media through the privacy breaches, fake news, and effect on campaigns hinders democracy.

The popular sovereignty of contemporary American democracy has been reinforced through the news coverages that are conducted by cable news all over America. For instance, CNN and Fox News have been in the forefront to reveal any form of misconduct of a political candidate before the election day to promote the sovereignty of voters within the country. It can also be established that various shows developed in the cable news platforms have facilitated the strengthening of the democratic benchmark of political liberty (Greenberg and Benjamin 280). Cases of where the rights and freedom of speech and expression have been deprived of citizens have been highlighted and criticized. Moreover, the coverage across the states of America enables citizens to be provided with the campaigns that are conducted widely in the country. Cases of political equality within the democracy of the nation denied among the citizens have further been criticized through a diverse number of shows in the cable news. Hence, it is correct to establish that cable news such as Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC have achieved to bolster the benchmarks of political sovereignty and equality in American society.

Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook have been portrayed to affect and hinder the upholding of contemporary democracy functioning in the US. In 2016, presidential elections in America, it is appropriate to reveal that Facebook played a significant role in developing hindrances to the upholding of the democratic benchmarks. Political equality and sovereignty within the American constitution were affected. Cambridge Analytica, through the use of ads on Facebook, had a significant effect on the 2016 elections (Fitzpatrick Ch 1). The ads through the Analytica company was used to develop fake news and further influence campaigns. For instance, Cambridge Analytica obtained an enormous number of Facebook users’ information and manipulated it to crease specific models and additional predict personality (Rathi Ch 3). It also affected influencing voters to develop specific political decisions within America. Therefore, it is correct to indicate from the impact of Facebook that democracy was hindered by depriving political equality and sovereignty by privacy breaching and fake news.

However, Twitter, on the other hand, has been sufficient to raise the alarm over issues based on political liberty in America. Even though, through social media algorithms, Twitter has contributed to the spread of fake news and further provide wrong projections on the information based on democratic decisions. The fact that Twitter has been supplied with “moral Pass” enables it to analyze data and provide prospective and expected results in elections (Price 523). The wrong provision of information, thus, affects the popular sovereignty of people.

In conclusion, it is plausible to ascertain that cable news has strengthened the functioning of American democracy, whereas social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have hindered it. Facebook, through the role played by the Cambridge Analytic in the 2016 presidential elections, deprived the benchmark of popular sovereignty and political equality. Moreover, Twitter on the hand through the algorithms and “moral pass” provided enables it to hinder popular sovereignty and political liberty in the country. However, the shows developed by CNN have exposed the voters to correct information that can be used to make political decisions.