The Boston Globe: Ballots are fodder for social media updates

The Boston Globe: Ballots are fodder for social media updates, a photo by stevegarfield on Flickr.

I'm in the Boston Globe today, talking about how social media sharing now includes information on how we voted.

As with all else in a social media­soaked age, people are growing less private about their ballots:

"When Steve Garfield tries a new beer or goes to a concert, he automatically posts his opinions on social media. So after he voted, he naturally shared his secret ballot with his 2,382 Facebook friends. ““I didn’t even think of it as anything to think about,” said Garfield, an independent media producer from Jamaica Plain and an Obama supporter.

Anyone who was following me on social media already knew that I was going to vote for Barack Obama, so it wasn't like it was a big unveiling of a huge secret. ;-)

In fact, after I voted, I just shared a bunch of photos of the "I Voted" sticker, stuck on things, like beer, wine, and a ketchup bottle.


Image: Instagram #IVOTED

#nytelection I Voted. #beer #cheers instagr.am/p/RtAyACBCi9/

— Steve Garfield (@stevegarfield) November 6, 2012

Also part of the interview, but not printed in the paper were my thoughts on how social sharing of political views brought me closer to friends and family.

For people with similar political views, it was fun to share, and see what what was shared. I also enjoyed reading and responding to posts on twitter, facebook and Google+.

FACEBOOK


I found that Facebook was the social media outpost where there was the least confrontations. That's most likely because over there, I actually knew most of hte people that I was talking with.

Check this funny example: Tweet - I'm moving to Australia

GOOGLE+


Over on Google+, many of the people who were responding to my posts, were followers. People who follow me on the site, but who I don't know well. Some of those people agreed with me and others didn't. Some of those that didn't agree seemed like they were from another planet. Luckily, others jumped in to respond.

Check this example: Mitt Romney changing his tune in final hours

How was your experience during #election2012 sharing on social media?

Note:

To be accurate, I have 551 Public Subscribers and 2,382 Friend Subscribers.

So it would have been more accurate to have said, "his 2,933 Facebook friends and subscribers" instead of "his 2,379 Facebook friends"

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[YouTube Video] Barack Obama's Victory Speech Full - #Election2012

Watch President Barack Obama's full speech after his victory over Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.

CNN Transcript: Obama's victory speech:

OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: It moves forward because of you. It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people.

(APPLAUSE)

Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: I want to thank every American who participated in this election...

Image: Barack Obama's Victory Speech Election 2012 Courtesy WSJ