Move over, talking heads: Social media has taken the American political discourse by storm, transforming the ordinary tweet into a legitimate source of content and commentary. The internet reigns supreme as our hottest bastion of debate — one in which every voice, no matter how extreme, gets equal airtime. From Black Lives Matter to the #NeverTrump movement, Facebook and Twitter are supplanting traditional media outlets by making every user a citizen journalist in her own right. Social media sites further distort the dialogue by programming their algorithms to aggressively curate newsfeeds towards your own biases, isolating users in an “incestuous amplification bubble” that rarely captures the full range of perspectives in a political debate.
If you’re itching to break out of your own social media bubble, watch the video above for some horizon-widening tips, including reading the publications you deeply disagree with, following proven experts, and resisting the urge to reflexively retweet something.
This video is part of We the Voters, a social impact campaign and groundbreaking collection of short films incorporating high-profile celebrities, real political players, and dynamic story lines into a series of short films and apps. We the Voters will demystify how the government and elections work, inspiring millions of young Americans to seize the power of their votes in the 2016 elections. Interconnecting 21 viral films and a variety of ancillary digital extensions across multiple platforms, We the Voters presents democracy and elections in a new, accessible format. As entertaining as it is informative, We the Voters promotes a clear call to action, encouraging young voters to make informed choices. It will be the ultimate resource for understanding what is at stake in this election — and in those to come.
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