Which topics do presidential candidates discuss on Facebook? (Kevin C. Desouza, Saud Alashri, Vikash Bajaj, Srinivasa Srivatsav Kandala, Brookings)

In our previous post, we discussed social media use of 2016 presidential candidates. We tracked the candidates’ usage of Facebook to understand how candidates interact with the public and any difference those interactions make in election outcomes

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/techtank/posts/2016/05/19-presidential-campaign-topics-desouza-alashri-bajaj-kandala

Tracking presidential campaigns on Facebook (Kevin C. Desouza, Saud Alashri, Vikash Bajaj, Srinivasa Srivatsav Kandala, Brookings)

We are in the midst of one of the most interesting and dynamic elections in recent times. The former and current presidential candidates have used a number of social media platforms to attract votes. Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton have used Instagram and Snapchat to connect to voters, while Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders use Twitter to deliver their messages. Likewise, the public uses social media to reflect their immediate reaction to their candidates through memes, hashtags, ‘likes’, and retweets. According to research firm Borrell Associates, political spending in 2016 will reach a record of high of $11.4 billion with about $1 billion going to digital media; a 5,000 percent increase from the $22.25 million spent in 2008. Given the rapid growth in social media use in elections, we have very little understanding of how candidates interact with the public and what difference this makes in the outcome of the election.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/techtank/posts/2016/04/13-voter-campaign-interaction-facebook-alashri-bajaj-desouza-kandala