As Expected, Social Networking Generation Running For Office Face Their Permanent Record Online
from the it-ain't-going-away dept
It's been almost four years since we wondered what would happen when the social networking generation started running for office, since there would almost certainly be a digital record of activities that historically would have been buried and/or lost to history for most candidates. It seems that we're already starting to see what happens with some younger candidates. Earlier this year, we mentioned one candidate who dropped out of a race after "racy" Facebook photos popped up. MediaShift is now taking a look at the issue and finding that more and more candidates are dealing with this issue, though often in different ways. One embraced it, saying that the photos showed he was a real person and approachable. Others try (usually unsuccessfully) to scrub their digital histories. As this becomes more common, though, it seems likely that even as opponents try to exploit these sorts of things, most people will put the photos in context and not be all that concerned about them.![Hide This Hide this](https://ii.techdirt.com/s/t/i/topclose.png)
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Filed Under: politics, social networks
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I'm glad...
I think that this sort of situation just brings us closer to the day when those two things are the same. I want to see the pop star who says, 'Yeah, those are my naked photos. What of it?'.
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Now we can see real people and that could help us to connect better with them as people and individuals instead of just governmental busybodies. I would even say that having a bit more transparancy in their history, warts and all, would engender a greater level of trust.
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This could be a problem for everyone...
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Re: This could be a problem for everyone...
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No difference
People who believe politicians. or believe that politicians are not human, or better than other people, are ignoring reality and no amount of information can cure that, not even racy photos.
Most people want to be lied to and they will get what they want, social networking and the internet notwithstanding.
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Re: I'm glad...
I guess you haven't heard of the ones already trying to sell their "leaked" sex tapes.
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Government has for far too long tried to keep our politicians on some pedestal. Just like when everyone freaked out over Clinton getting a blow job. Get over it all ready, it was between him and his wife, and really doesn't reflect his political views.
Bring our countries leaders down to our level and I bet in the end it has a more positive outcome than a negative one.
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Actually, by the time most of these people try to get elected, Facebook will probably be long gone.
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Re:
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Re: This could be a problem for everyone...
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Re:
I lost faith in him during the campaign when he said, "I didn't inhale," and that was compounded when he lied about the oval office hummer.
A liar is a liar. End of story.
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Social...
Don't, I repeat Don't mess around with social networks, anything you post can and will be used against you...
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Re: Re:
Or how about right after Hillary found out about Monica...
He was on TV for some PS Artsy stuff, his makeup ran under the bright camera lights and boy did he have a shiner around his right eye.
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Re: Re: This could be a problem for everyone...
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Re:
You imply that cheating isn't an "act of being dishonest." Most people would disagree with you there, I think.
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Re: Re: I'm glad...
Why can't Carrie Prejean just say, 'Sure, I made several dozen nude photos, and seven or eight sex tapes. What of it?' and Vanessa Hudgens to say, 'Yeah, I don't shave my bush. What of it?'.
They have to pretend like it's something shameful and wrong in public and that sucks.
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Re: Re: Re: I'm glad...
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Re: Re: This could be a problem for everyone...
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Re: Re: Re: Re: I'm glad...
On Topic: We're just entering a time when your life isn't able to be hidden. In some number of years everyone will have that problem and it won't be a problem. Perhaps when the 'skeletons' in everyone's collective closet become plainly visible to everyone we can stop arguing about how candidate X did something bad in his 20s and start focusing on how candidate X will represent his constituents ... Yea, I'm dreaming
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Re: Re: Re: Re: I'm glad...
Right now though, they're mostly lying and covering it up, like Prejean did after the first nude photo and the first sex tape.
I'm not really knocking them for this, because society can be pretty damned compelling, whether you're Prejean or Clinton.
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Get over it
Social mores and taboos dictate how politician's and public figures present themselves to the public, if anyone is to blame it's us.
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Re: Re: Re: This could be a problem for everyone...
Holier than thou, people should be perfect attitude?
No, that's your "I'll do what I want, when I want" filter. Again, let me type slowly (trust me, I'll type slower).
Acting like and idiot AND THEN ECHOING INTERNATIONALLY.
If you make something PUBLIC, expect it TO BE PUBLIC. Trust me, I've acted like an ass before (and still do, depending on who you ask), but I don't feel the need to tell the world when I do.
Why is that so hard?
Maybe I just come from a time when you used an alias to protect yourself (bbs days). Not to hide yourself, but to protect yourself.
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Re: Get over it
If someone does something that I consider Bad Judgment, I shouldn't behave (not support in the above example) someone because it's society's (my) fault?
You do realize it's not just a "morals" issue, right? Or that "moral" does not mean the same thing to everyone?
(Also, not to be a grammar Nazi (as I'm sure you can tell by my post above), but putting a ' before an s generally indicates possession. It's distracting when used wrong, and takes away from the high ground attitude that you otherwise are portraying in your post)
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Social network history
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Re: Social...
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