US Representative calls for civics-focused social networks
In an article published today in TechCrunch , US Representative Rick Crawford called for a change in how elected officials engage with their constituents on social networks. He compared current options like Facebook and Twitter to a constituent trying to share their thoughts on a proposed law to a committee while a TV was blaring loudly in the background, spewing misinformation about the law and the elected officials. "Unfortunately, the incredible volume of highly politicized, paid advertising and misinformation diminishes the possibility for authentic communication before it even starts," writes Crawford. "The American people and their government need a new platform – or a serious modification of existing platforms – to engage each other in a more effective way." Crawford goes on to explain that for-profit companies that create the social networks we use today will always take ad money, including funds from politically motivated groups . And he says freedom of ...