The emotion of Tuesday’s election spilled onto social media timelines months, if not years ago. Posts and links from both sides can get downright nasty.
Social media experts say we better get used to it. Political posts by your friends are now a crucial part of campaigning.
“Social media has become the ultimate ‘shout it from the rooftops’ tool,” University of Denver Professor Stephen Haag said. “While people think their voice matters, they don’t think everyone else’s does.”
Haag has been studying the effects social media has had on this election and how it’s changed since 2008.
“In the 2008 election social media was brand new. It was an innovative and disruptive tool. Then-Sen. Obama made great use of it and it was probably one of the reasons he won the election,” Haag said.
This time around, social media is part of everyday life. Your friends can post whatever they want, and it’s caused many block or delete friends.
“You can lose friends,” Haag said. “You can show unbelievable disrespect which is permanently recorded. That will never go away throughout history.”
Hundreds responded on the 9NEWS Facebook page when asked if they’ve blocked or deleted friends because of their political posts – or if those posts have swayed their opinion.