The whole movement of being in touch with your voters is a pretty nice and generous idea, but it all goes wrong because being open to the internet means you can be bashed and it always won't look good on the campaigners part. I find that the best way to do it is to be professional and please the peoples needs, not be a twitter friend Sra period 2 Noa Aizer
I think that Rand Paul's app idea is a genius idea. I feel that nowadays, politics need to connect with my generation and the generation a few years older than mine. Obama won the election 6 years ago because he also connected with the Youth. I know America's citizens are important in every equal way, but if one person can connect with the Youth, they have a huge advantage because we are the future of the world. -S.D.
SRA Gov&Eco p.2 Political campaigning has always been a slippery slope. It does not matter on what platform, whether it be paper or digital. In an effort to connect with the public, specifically the younger generation. This has resulted in many many failed attempts, such as here with Rand Paul. Another example would be the atrocious Twitter account #GOPteens, who recently tweeted their followers asking what "...Jesus' favorite gun would be". Politicians /must/ hire better PR secretaries, or their entire campaign will go down the drain. After all, in this digital age, what is placed online can mean eat or be eaten for some people.
I think it's really weird that government officials are trying to use our networks. I understand they're trying to influence the younger audience to vote for them but its strange, I think it's hilarious that they get mad fun of because its great entertainment to read on my feed. I think that if tthey are going to use our social platforms they shouldn't do what they thik will please us because they're probably wrong (the selfie thing was so strange.) I think instead they should try to talk about issues we care about and try to show us our voice can be heard. I think many more young people would participate in government if this happened.
Honestly, that guy should've seen that coming, people mess around with photos like that already in Photoshop, but now they've been given an easier way to be jerks. Gov. & Eco. Amanda
P4 CC hahahahah, people who don't use technology will never know how does internet really works. Keeping things traditional is the best way to do politics.
Stephen C Period 9 This article is interesting because I feel there are two big topics involved. It talks about how its Election time and the influence the internet has on things in society. I find it very funny how Rand Paul created this app and it was abused. I personally feel that it was a bad feature to add, but even though it was abused and criticized publically, it did gain him a lot of publicity. It has also not been taken down yet which shows that he likes the publicity. This is very much similar to the way Donald Trump is in this election. He says a lot of insulting things to people but it makes headlines and gives him notoriety and thus more of a percentage in the polls. So I think that the internet has sort of made the election more comical. There are so many memes after debates making fun of or mocking every candidate that it almost lowers the serious level of the election. The internet as a whole has changed the way elections work. This example of Rand Paul making an app shows that candidates are trying to use it to their advantage, but I don't think the internet is ready to give up that funny trait and start using the social media for serious issues as seen by the Rand Paul selfies. Overall, the internet is changing the way elections are perceived and I'm not sure yet if its for the better or the worst.
Pd. 9 M.A. I think that the candidate's effort in trying to connect through the voters, moreso the younger generation based on their efforts through social media, is helping their fame, but not their campaign. By attempting to make apps or twitter accounts that essentially boost their popularity, young potential voters are not guaranteed to take this seriously, but rather mock them or amuse themselves through these means of technological outreaches. I think campaigning is changing over the course from dealing with serious issues and national responsibilities to popularity and making a joke out of the candidates and their campaigns.
I think that the Rand Paul app, “Rand Paul 2016” was a good a idea, until the photo booth feature was added. The app was a good thought because it could keep his supporters up-to-date on his stance on certain issues, and let them donate money to fund his campaign. However, the photo booth feature is not a good idea because it’s seems weird, and many people might abuse the app and take some really strange pictures with him. His campaign team probably thought that this would be a good idea because it would appeal to the younger generation, and make him seem more relatable. But I think that this photo booth feature is a mistake because people are going to continue to make a joke out of it, and they might not take him seriously as a presidential candidate that much anymore. - G.N. Period 6
I think that it is very important that politicians be careful with what they put on social media and how they use it. With the candidates running for office, there are people out there who want to target them in order to make them look bad and decrease their popularity. Social Media tends to twist things in order to enhance their point of view.
JO Per. 6- I think Rand Paul made a mistake with this kind of app. He should've left the photo booth out of the app. There are so many bad things you can do with a picture of him that lets you photoshop behind it. He was asking for trouble in my opinion, it would be a great app for his campaign if there was no photobooth inside of it.
Admittedly, the Rand Paul team thought of very innovative way to connect with millennials. However, they did not realize that the internet is a cruel and so can be the very target audience that the team was trying to reach out to. While reading the article, I almost spit out the water I was drinking when the picture of Biden and Rand Paul came up. Even though the app did not work in the way that the campaign team thought it would, the whole project was still successful because the picture of Paul became viral. Millennials who did not know of Paul before now took a picture with him and shared it with all their friends. It proves that there is no such thing as bad publicity. IH Period 4
All these candidates want is publicity. They need people to know their names and faces. As long as they know the name and face, their chance of getting voted goes up. Donald Trump doesn't care about what he says in television because he knows that those words will be played on everyone's computers and phones. He knows that those clips will get him the publicity he needs to win the votes. There are still many people who votes without any information. But if they see a video or even a picture with the candidate's name on it, their chance of getting voted goes up. This whole #standwithrand is basically that. He doesn't care if his picture is being used inappropriately as long as he can get people to know his face. Of course, I'm sure that this wasn't his plan but this misuse is what's getting his name thrown out to the crowd. Even though it's not the best option, it's one of the better options than not doing anything to get people's attention.
GJ PD. 9 I think this is great, not because it is funny but because of the publicity. Even though rand Paul is being made fun of in a way, he gest recognition and publicity. All publicity is good publicity and every little things counts when aiming for the presidency. I believe that when candidates mess around with social media like this they better their stances in the polls and in the election so I am supportive of it.
at p7 I think the fact that these candidates are bashing each other on social media is completely ridiculous. While it may be funny to people, it is taking their legitimacy away. Personally, it makes me lose respect for them. Instead of being professional and doing their jobs, these candidates are spending time making fun of each other and trying to connect with the public in a humorous way. I think they need to stay off social media because even though it may not be their fault that it goes wrong, they should know that social media can make things go wrong in a plethora of different ways. These candidates, especially Donald Trump, need to stop acting so childish and start being professional because in the end the people of America want someone who is charismatic and effective in the white house, not someone who is rude and childish.
JS Period 6 I found this article to be very interesting, and it just goes to show that sometimes people do not think things through thoroughly before they post something on the Internet. In this case, Rand Paul, a politician running for president of the United States posted a meme/photo booth that allows people to take pictures with his face in the shot. Some people have had positive experiences, but others have had some funny reactions. This meme that Rand Paul created shows everyone that the “Internet can be a dangerous place.” Barack Obama was the first presidential candidate to really take advantage of all that social media has to offer. Nowadays, “politicians are attempting to utilize all the social media they can this campaign season to get their message out there.” Presidential candidates try to seem cool and connected to younger voters in this digital age by using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram among other things such as this selfie that Rand Paul posted on his website. “So far, Paul's campaign has not removed the selfie feature from the app,” despite potential negative backlash. Since Rand Paul is not even leading in the polls, I do not believe that this idea could help or hurt him. It’s just a thing of today that will be off everyone’s minds tomorrow.
Crystal Khemraj Period 6 Economics I thought this was extremely comical to read! It's ironic how a conservative like Rand Paul is trying to appeal to a younger audience through the use of modern advertisement a.k.a. social media. Perhaps that's why his campaigning app backfired. It's true the internet is unsafe and if you are not very careful when using it, you're likely to make fatal mistakes.
Obama, in his 2008 election against Republican candidate John McCain, was successful in his utilization of social media. Creating a Facebook account to promote his presidential campaign, Obama became wildly popular, especially among the younger generations who spend more of their time online. Rand Paul, however, has ventured into dangerous territory, expanding beyond the standard Facebook account to create his own app. This was a fatal mistake. Paul overstepped his welcome into the lives of Americans. He gave us too much access (by allowing us to take a picture with him on the app). The internet is full of inappropriate content, and something like this was bound to happen. Internet users too easily abused Paul's app to mock the candidate for having attempted to overstep into the dangerous online world. Candidates should not try too hard to enter our online lives, they should stick to campaigning the issues they stand for on their Facebook accounts instead. -SKim
It's unbelievable how Paul's campaign created a "selfie with Rand" to gain popularity on social media. They had to know that inappropriate images and comments would be plastered all over popular social media apps because that's how the internet works. But it's actually funny how the campaign did not take the selfie part out of the app because believe it or not, everyone who goes on twitter knows Paul Rand more than any other republican candidate. So we can hate, but also thank the social media for something not even that big (a selfie with Paul) because it trended worldwide. Avital K. Per.6
this is Vanessa, pd 9. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to comment, so i'll just comment my reaction:
At first, I figured the selfie option was perfectly normal. A lot of apps (or at least a few I've had in the past) have this sort of selfie option. The change in technology and using it to appeal to voters has been crucial in the last election. Bernie Sanders is gaining support now due to social media. I think it's sad that the app update went wrong, but expected of the internet.... It's not particularly Rand Paul's fault that it went badly, either... I hope he finds some way so that the Internet doesn't wreck his social media campaign...
NH. Pd 9 It's great that the candidates are trying to reach out to others through social media, but there are always people trolling on the internet. They might not be aware of it so their campaigning can go wrong, however, it is very entertaining for the viewers. I thought all of the memes were hilarious especially the one with Biden. It's fun to see how creative people can get with just one picture of Rand Paul.
It is important that we understand the power of the Internet. A single picture and a short caption can change minds and change perspectives. Presidential candidates should use Twitter and Facebook to spread their message, as Hillary Clinton did when she called out a drugmaker for a price hike, but if they were to put something on the Internet such as Rand Paul's photo booth, the internet could quickly make a joke of it through the collective minds of millions of internet users.
JS AP ECO p. 9: I'm not really into politics and so I haven't really been up to date with the news on the upcoming elections. However, after reading this article, I can see what some of the candidates are doing to promote themselves. It's kind of cool to see how the older generation is adapting to our generation technology by creating apps and being active in social media, and that's great! But unfortunately, sometimes they just do not realize what all could happen online. This online activity could either benefit or harm them, depending on what it is.
Grace Hahn Period 6 September 24, 2015 In my opinion, I feel that elections are both good and bad for the United States. Of course, we need a commander - in - chief, however, I do not feel that it should be socially accepted to make fun of others or be condescending in general. In the article, “#MemeOfTheWeek: ‘Stand with Rand,’” it tells us the Rand Paul and his team of advisors created an app called, “Rand Paul 2016.” This app was for Rand to share with his supporters, fans, etc his view, politics, issues, and etc. However, he added a photo booth section in his app where the people who downloaded the app could Stand with Rand and take a picture with him as if he was actually in the picture. Although, I do feel that the app is a good idea, and that it would help people stay informed, I also think that it is a negative idea because people are taking advantage of what is giving to them in the wrong way. Yes, it may be Rand Paul’s idea, I feel like the app is turning into a joke. From reading this article, I also felt that this year’s election is becoming more and more of a joke. I may feel this way because of the controversy of Donald Trump, but I also feel this way because watching the debates and actually being able to vote this year made me realize that the presidential elections are crucial and should be taken seriously. With the meme’s and inappropriate pictures of the running nominees, I feel like people aren’t taking the election seriously.
JT Period 6- I don't think the Rand Paul app was the most terrible idea. I mean I understand that candidates want to be "cool" and they want to connect with voters however they should of knew before releasing the app that including a photobooth in it that would allow anyone to take a "Selfie" with Rand Paul would result in trouble. It's just for fun and anyone could of made an app like that, or even photoshop a picture with themselves with a candidate-this app just makes it easier to do so. The other uses for the app are actually a really good idea though. It makes it easy for supporters to keep up with Rand Paul and that is something that candidates should take advantage of. There are many ways candidates can take advantage of social media and technology today to benefit their campaigns, and I believe that they should in order to get their name out there and to help gain as many supporters as possible.
I think that it is a good thing that the candidates are utilizing social media for their campaigns. They are trying to connect with the people to gain their support and vote. I do feel that since social media is also used for negative connotations, candidates should be careful in seeing what they put online. - Divya Advani Period 4
Overall I think that this article really shows the dangers of adverting techniques in the world today. If you look at the Rand Paul example you see that a simple push to gain more popularity over teens and young adults can be catastrophic to a candidate or business. You always have to look at the cons when advertising something or trying to gain popularity.
Pd 9 NA - even the best of plans end up failing miserably. Most candidates try to be "cool" and try to connect with the newer generation of voters. This trend was started by Obama in his 2008 campaign; Obama was successfully able to connect with those under 25 through his social media campaign that consisted of Facebook and Youtube. His success can be recorded by the massive number of young voters of the 2008 election. Today, most candidates have social media accounts such as Twitter and use it for a variety of reasons including mudslinging.
It still amazes me the power of social media. At the end of the day, social media platforms are great outlooks for advertising and putting oneself out there in the world. Social media is so practical and efficient because its fast, free, easy, and has an automatic feedback loop. It's the best of both worlds for any marketers; what is there not to love about a free and a high-feedback system?! It is interesting how social medias can revolutionize anything both positively and negatively. It an instant spread of news that can blow up into something way bigger than it should be. In the case of Rand Paul's clever idea of a selfie app, the internet turns his plans into the other direction. A simple app to bring people together to campaign for Rand Paul turned into a place where people behind computer screens were able to joke and make fun of him. Unfortunately, that is the other side to the internet; hiding one's face behind a computer screen gives that person much more confidence to say whatever he or she wants. The power of an ordinary citizen is extraordinary because with a few clicks behind a computer screen, he or she can manipulate anything.
Emanuel pd4 I think that Rand's idea of having an to make it easier for people to follow his campaign was actually a good idea. However, the fact that you can take a selfie with his was a horrible idea. The selfies NPR showed in the article had to have been some of the milder memes that were taken with this app. I can imagine there are a lot more inappropriate ones that they were allowed to show (like the Nicki Minaj one they mentioned). I don't know why the developer's of this app or people from Rand's campaign haven't disabled this feature yet as this will likely do more harm than good for Rand's campaign.
KC Pd 9 It is important to be 'cool' and connect with voters because these days social media is the new trend. If candidates connect on social media, it can garner a lot of attention for them, especially with young voters, which are actually very important. Barack Obama was able to get a great deal of young votes in the 2008 and 2012 elections which gave him an advantage over the other candidates. Although the internet sometimes twists and makes fun of candidates on the internet such as how Hillary Clinton posted a funny snapchat of her at Cedar Rapids and it viral on Vine, Twitter, and Facebook. I, myself follow many candidates on social media because it is a quick way to read some of their thoughts on issues instead of watching the news. Jeb Bush tweeted, "Sorry Mom" when he announced that he smoked marijuana in high school and it got 30,000 retweets and favorites. Social media can help candidates and make them more talked about. Although sometimes this talk can be negative, I believe that social media interaction will be crucial in this coming election.
I think that it is vital for candidates to "be cool and connect with voters" due to an abundance of reasons. One reason being that by the time the election comes there will be a whole new wave of 18 year old voters eager to vote and by appealing/acknowledging their social culture they will have heightened popularity. Also by doing this it may be seen as if the candidates are welcoming these attacks by allowing easy access to everyone however all these attacks are only bringing publicity which is a positive since "Any Publicity is good publicity." Lastly I think that it is important that these candidates start becoming more modern as the public grows more modern so they can really understand society in all it's views. I'm sure Rand Paul has learned his lesson with how inappropriate the public can be and I believe this will open strengthen his knowledge and campaign. -VS
Pd. 4 U.D. Although candidates are trying to connect with voters for the upcoming election, many end up missing their mark with social media campaigns, such as Rand Paul. Personally, I think his app was a good idea and that the Stand with Rand photo booth was not a bad idea. I believe that no matter what you put on the internet, someone will find a way to use it to be crude or inappropriate. While I do think that taking down the app was a good idea for Rand Paul, I do not think that developing and posting the app in the first place was a bad idea. Rand Paul could have predicted people using the app to post inappropriate material and to mock him, but overall, it likely did him more good than bad because it provided a medium for him to disseminate his beliefs and a place for supporters to provide funding.
I think this was an innovative idea because it integrated social media use into Paul's campaign strategy. Theoretically it made sense, but its reception was unpredictable and the app has been more of a gag than an effective tool. -AD Period 4
Gene Yu Pd 4 I think in order to become a successful candidate, it is important to be straightforward. The voters would like to see a politician who is not afraid to state his or her beliefs. During the debate, it's not wise to stray away from the questions. It is important to be very honest to the audience.
ECR (Pd. 4) - Rand Paul's selfie app fiasco is the embodiment of the difficult dynamic that modern politicians face to appeal to the millennial generation, in light of Obama's sweeping 2008 victory that galvanized young people to vote like never before. This phenomenon is observable in Hillary Clinton's social media presence expansion, Bernie Sanders' live-tweeting of the GOP debate, and, now, Rand Paul's selfie app. Though each admirable in their own right, politicians will have to do more than cook up a few flashy gizmos to win the millennial vote.
I think Rand Paul's app is an excellent way for him to popularize himself with a meme. Through having everyone post memes with him, whether it be for fun or not, he is getting publicity. There's no such thing as bad press. - MSK Pd. 4 AP Economics
I find it really funny how hard the candidates try to connect with the younger voters. They do not fully comprehend our lives, yet they try to represent us. Sen. Rand Paul is a perfect example because he understood the importance of social media in our lives, but he failed to understand that people deliberately go out of their way to mock people. The #StandWithRand campaign is a failure because the publicity that Sen. Paul is getting is negative, and people still don't care about what he has to say. I believe that the best way to appeal to the younger generations is to talk about issues that concern them. For example, college tuitions are a big concern for younger voters, especially those participating in their first election. Instead, we have politicians attacking each other and acting like children. Sam George Pd.4
Good try, Rand Paul, but as much as I love you and libertarianism, I don't think a selfie app is going to solve your issues. Paul should, before coming up with inane ways to publicize his campaign, correct his swaying stances on issues should he want to attract more people. Albeit the accessibility of candidates is a great factor in elections and is a trait that is generally overlooked by candidates, I do not believe that a selfie app can parallel a rope line or a rally. In the end, though, there's nothing such as bad publicity. Good try, Paul.
N.P. Pd 9 Politicians are so out of touch with mainstream media. Basically, one of the only politicians who was effective at using social media was Obama. This problem is especially prevalent with Republicans, a party largely dominated by old men. And, why is Rand Paul even making an attempt in this presidential race? He is not getting the nomination period. Trump, Bush, Fiorina, Carson, and Rubio are the group from which the nominee will be chosen. Rand Paul should go back to being a Senator and focus on that rather than wasting money on this fruitless venture. On the point of the candidates using apps and sites to sell merchandise, like the famous Make America Great Again Hat, which sells for an enormous sum of money, I completely do not buy into that garbage. They sell soaps, and towels with their name on it, which cost several times more than normal. Money is such a destructive force on the election process.
The whole movement of being in touch with your voters is a pretty nice and generous idea, but it all goes wrong because being open to the internet means you can be bashed and it always won't look good on the campaigners part. I find that the best way to do it is to be professional and please the peoples needs, not be a twitter friend
ReplyDeleteSra period 2 Noa Aizer
I think that Rand Paul's app idea is a genius idea. I feel that nowadays, politics need to connect with my generation and the generation a few years older than mine. Obama won the election 6 years ago because he also connected with the Youth. I know America's citizens are important in every equal way, but if one person can connect with the Youth, they have a huge advantage because we are the future of the world. -S.D.
ReplyDeleteSRA Gov&Eco p.2 Political campaigning has always been a slippery slope. It does not matter on what platform, whether it be paper or digital. In an effort to connect with the public, specifically the younger generation. This has resulted in many many failed attempts, such as here with Rand Paul. Another example would be the atrocious Twitter account #GOPteens, who recently tweeted their followers asking what "...Jesus' favorite gun would be". Politicians /must/ hire better PR secretaries, or their entire campaign will go down the drain. After all, in this digital age, what is placed online can mean eat or be eaten for some people.
ReplyDeleteKayla period 2 sra
ReplyDeleteI think it's really weird that government officials are trying to use our networks. I understand they're trying to influence the younger audience to vote for them but its strange, I think it's hilarious that they get mad fun of because its great entertainment to read on my feed. I think that if tthey are going to use our social platforms they shouldn't do what they thik will please us because they're probably wrong (the selfie thing was so strange.) I think instead they should try to talk about issues we care about and try to show us our voice can be heard. I think many more young people would participate in government if this happened.
Honestly, that guy should've seen that coming, people mess around with photos like that already in Photoshop, but now they've been given an easier way to be jerks.
ReplyDeleteGov. & Eco. Amanda
P4 CC hahahahah, people who don't use technology will never know how does internet really works. Keeping things traditional is the best way to do politics.
ReplyDeleteStephen C Period 9
ReplyDeleteThis article is interesting because I feel there are two big topics involved. It talks about how its Election time and the influence the internet has on things in society. I find it very funny how Rand Paul created this app and it was abused. I personally feel that it was a bad feature to add, but even though it was abused and criticized publically, it did gain him a lot of publicity. It has also not been taken down yet which shows that he likes the publicity. This is very much similar to the way Donald Trump is in this election. He says a lot of insulting things to people but it makes headlines and gives him notoriety and thus more of a percentage in the polls. So I think that the internet has sort of made the election more comical. There are so many memes after debates making fun of or mocking every candidate that it almost lowers the serious level of the election. The internet as a whole has changed the way elections work. This example of Rand Paul making an app shows that candidates are trying to use it to their advantage, but I don't think the internet is ready to give up that funny trait and start using the social media for serious issues as seen by the Rand Paul selfies. Overall, the internet is changing the way elections are perceived and I'm not sure yet if its for the better or the worst.
Pd. 9 M.A.
ReplyDeleteI think that the candidate's effort in trying to connect through the voters, moreso the younger generation based on their efforts through social media, is helping their fame, but not their campaign. By attempting to make apps or twitter accounts that essentially boost their popularity, young potential voters are not guaranteed to take this seriously, but rather mock them or amuse themselves through these means of technological outreaches. I think campaigning is changing over the course from dealing with serious issues and national responsibilities to popularity and making a joke out of the candidates and their campaigns.
I think that the Rand Paul app, “Rand Paul 2016” was a good a idea, until the photo booth feature was added. The app was a good thought because it could keep his supporters up-to-date on his stance on certain issues, and let them donate money to fund his campaign. However, the photo booth feature is not a good idea because it’s seems weird, and many people might abuse the app and take some really strange pictures with him. His campaign team probably thought that this would be a good idea because it would appeal to the younger generation, and make him seem more relatable. But I think that this photo booth feature is a mistake because people are going to continue to make a joke out of it, and they might not take him seriously as a presidential candidate that much anymore.
ReplyDelete- G.N. Period 6
I think that it is very important that politicians be careful with what they put on social media and how they use it. With the candidates running for office, there are people out there who want to target them in order to make them look bad and decrease their popularity. Social Media tends to twist things in order to enhance their point of view.
ReplyDeleteJO Per. 6- I think Rand Paul made a mistake with this kind of app. He should've left the photo booth out of the app. There are so many bad things you can do with a picture of him that lets you photoshop behind it. He was asking for trouble in my opinion, it would be a great app for his campaign if there was no photobooth inside of it.
ReplyDeleteAdmittedly, the Rand Paul team thought of very innovative way to connect with millennials. However, they did not realize that the internet is a cruel and so can be the very target audience that the team was trying to reach out to. While reading the article, I almost spit out the water I was drinking when the picture of Biden and Rand Paul came up. Even though the app did not work in the way that the campaign team thought it would, the whole project was still successful because the picture of Paul became viral. Millennials who did not know of Paul before now took a picture with him and shared it with all their friends. It proves that there is no such thing as bad publicity.
ReplyDeleteIH Period 4
Period 6
ReplyDeleteD.R.
All these candidates want is publicity. They need people to know their names and faces. As long as they know the name and face, their chance of getting voted goes up. Donald Trump doesn't care about what he says in television because he knows that those words will be played on everyone's computers and phones. He knows that those clips will get him the publicity he needs to win the votes. There are still many people who votes without any information. But if they see a video or even a picture with the candidate's name on it, their chance of getting voted goes up. This whole #standwithrand is basically that. He doesn't care if his picture is being used inappropriately as long as he can get people to know his face. Of course, I'm sure that this wasn't his plan but this misuse is what's getting his name thrown out to the crowd. Even though it's not the best option, it's one of the better options than not doing anything to get people's attention.
GJ PD. 9
ReplyDeleteI think this is great, not because it is funny but because of the publicity. Even though rand Paul is being made fun of in a way, he gest recognition and publicity. All publicity is good publicity and every little things counts when aiming for the presidency. I believe that when candidates mess around with social media like this they better their stances in the polls and in the election so I am supportive of it.
at p7 I think the fact that these candidates are bashing each other on social media is completely ridiculous. While it may be funny to people, it is taking their legitimacy away. Personally, it makes me lose respect for them. Instead of being professional and doing their jobs, these candidates are spending time making fun of each other and trying to connect with the public in a humorous way. I think they need to stay off social media because even though it may not be their fault that it goes wrong, they should know that social media can make things go wrong in a plethora of different ways. These candidates, especially Donald Trump, need to stop acting so childish and start being professional because in the end the people of America want someone who is charismatic and effective in the white house, not someone who is rude and childish.
ReplyDeleteJS Period 6 I found this article to be very interesting, and it just goes to show that sometimes people do not think things through thoroughly before they post something on the Internet. In this case, Rand Paul, a politician running for president of the United States posted a meme/photo booth that allows people to take pictures with his face in the shot. Some people have had positive experiences, but others have had some funny reactions. This meme that Rand Paul created shows everyone that the “Internet can be a dangerous place.” Barack Obama was the first presidential candidate to really take advantage of all that social media has to offer. Nowadays, “politicians are attempting to utilize all the social media they can this campaign season to get their message out there.” Presidential candidates try to seem cool and connected to younger voters in this digital age by using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram among other things such as this selfie that Rand Paul posted on his website. “So far, Paul's campaign has not removed the selfie feature from the app,” despite potential negative backlash. Since Rand Paul is not even leading in the polls, I do not believe that this idea could help or hurt him. It’s just a thing of today that will be off everyone’s minds tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteCrystal Khemraj Period 6 Economics
ReplyDeleteI thought this was extremely comical to read! It's ironic how a conservative like Rand Paul is trying to appeal to a younger audience through the use of modern advertisement a.k.a. social media. Perhaps that's why his campaigning app backfired. It's true the internet is unsafe and if you are not very careful when using it, you're likely to make fatal mistakes.
Obama, in his 2008 election against Republican candidate John McCain, was successful in his utilization of social media. Creating a Facebook account to promote his presidential campaign, Obama became wildly popular, especially among the younger generations who spend more of their time online. Rand Paul, however, has ventured into dangerous territory, expanding beyond the standard Facebook account to create his own app. This was a fatal mistake. Paul overstepped his welcome into the lives of Americans. He gave us too much access (by allowing us to take a picture with him on the app). The internet is full of inappropriate content, and something like this was bound to happen. Internet users too easily abused Paul's app to mock the candidate for having attempted to overstep into the dangerous online world. Candidates should not try too hard to enter our online lives, they should stick to campaigning the issues they stand for on their Facebook accounts instead.
ReplyDelete-SKim
It's unbelievable how Paul's campaign created a "selfie with Rand" to gain popularity on social media. They had to know that inappropriate images and comments would be plastered all over popular social media apps because that's how the internet works. But it's actually funny how the campaign did not take the selfie part out of the app because believe it or not, everyone who goes on twitter knows Paul Rand more than any other republican candidate. So we can hate, but also thank the social media for something not even that big (a selfie with Paul) because it trended worldwide. Avital K. Per.6
ReplyDeletethis is Vanessa, pd 9.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what I'm supposed to comment, so i'll just comment my reaction:
At first, I figured the selfie option was perfectly normal. A lot of apps (or at least a few I've had in the past) have this sort of selfie option. The change in technology and using it to appeal to voters has been crucial in the last election. Bernie Sanders is gaining support now due to social media. I think it's sad that the app update went wrong, but expected of the internet.... It's not particularly Rand Paul's fault that it went badly, either... I hope he finds some way so that the Internet doesn't wreck his social media campaign...
NH. Pd 9
ReplyDeleteIt's great that the candidates are trying to reach out to others through social media, but there are always people trolling on the internet. They might not be aware of it so their campaigning can go wrong, however, it is very entertaining for the viewers. I thought all of the memes were hilarious especially the one with Biden. It's fun to see how creative people can get with just one picture of Rand Paul.
It is important that we understand the power of the Internet. A single picture and a short caption can change minds and change perspectives. Presidential candidates should use Twitter and Facebook to spread their message, as Hillary Clinton did when she called out a drugmaker for a price hike, but if they were to put something on the Internet such as Rand Paul's photo booth, the internet could quickly make a joke of it through the collective minds of millions of internet users.
ReplyDeleteJS AP ECO p. 9: I'm not really into politics and so I haven't really been up to date with the news on the upcoming elections. However, after reading this article, I can see what some of the candidates are doing to promote themselves. It's kind of cool to see how the older generation is adapting to our generation technology by creating apps and being active in social media, and that's great! But unfortunately, sometimes they just do not realize what all could happen online. This online activity could either benefit or harm them, depending on what it is.
ReplyDeleteGrace Hahn Period 6 September 24, 2015
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I feel that elections are both good and bad for the United States. Of course, we need a commander - in - chief, however, I do not feel that it should be socially accepted to make fun of others or be condescending in general. In the article, “#MemeOfTheWeek: ‘Stand with Rand,’” it tells us the Rand Paul and his team of advisors created an app called, “Rand Paul 2016.” This app was for Rand to share with his supporters, fans, etc his view, politics, issues, and etc. However, he added a photo booth section in his app where the people who downloaded the app could Stand with Rand and take a picture with him as if he was actually in the picture. Although, I do feel that the app is a good idea, and that it would help people stay informed, I also think that it is a negative idea because people are taking advantage of what is giving to them in the wrong way. Yes, it may be Rand Paul’s idea, I feel like the app is turning into a joke. From reading this article, I also felt that this year’s election is becoming more and more of a joke. I may feel this way because of the controversy of Donald Trump, but I also feel this way because watching the debates and actually being able to vote this year made me realize that the presidential elections are crucial and should be taken seriously. With the meme’s and inappropriate pictures of the running nominees, I feel like people aren’t taking the election seriously.
JT Period 6- I don't think the Rand Paul app was the most terrible idea. I mean I understand that candidates want to be "cool" and they want to connect with voters however they should of knew before releasing the app that including a photobooth in it that would allow anyone to take a "Selfie" with Rand Paul would result in trouble. It's just for fun and anyone could of made an app like that, or even photoshop a picture with themselves with a candidate-this app just makes it easier to do so. The other uses for the app are actually a really good idea though. It makes it easy for supporters to keep up with Rand Paul and that is something that candidates should take advantage of. There are many ways candidates can take advantage of social media and technology today to benefit their campaigns, and I believe that they should in order to get their name out there and to help gain as many supporters as possible.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is a good thing that the candidates are utilizing social media for their campaigns. They are trying to connect with the people to gain their support and vote. I do feel that since social media is also used for negative connotations, candidates should be careful in seeing what they put online.
ReplyDelete- Divya Advani Period 4
Overall I think that this article really shows the dangers of adverting techniques in the world today. If you look at the Rand Paul example you see that a simple push to gain more popularity over teens and young adults can be catastrophic to a candidate or business. You always have to look at the cons when advertising something or trying to gain popularity.
ReplyDeleteNick Pagonis
Pd 9 NA - even the best of plans end up failing miserably. Most candidates try to be "cool" and try to connect with the newer generation of voters. This trend was started by Obama in his 2008 campaign; Obama was successfully able to connect with those under 25 through his social media campaign that consisted of Facebook and Youtube. His success can be recorded by the massive number of young voters of the 2008 election. Today, most candidates have social media accounts such as Twitter and use it for a variety of reasons including mudslinging.
ReplyDeleteClare Kang pd. 9 --
ReplyDeleteIt still amazes me the power of social media. At the end of the day, social media platforms are great outlooks for advertising and putting oneself out there in the world. Social media is so practical and efficient because its fast, free, easy, and has an automatic feedback loop. It's the best of both worlds for any marketers; what is there not to love about a free and a high-feedback system?!
It is interesting how social medias can revolutionize anything both positively and negatively. It an instant spread of news that can blow up into something way bigger than it should be. In the case of Rand Paul's clever idea of a selfie app, the internet turns his plans into the other direction. A simple app to bring people together to campaign for Rand Paul turned into a place where people behind computer screens were able to joke and make fun of him. Unfortunately, that is the other side to the internet; hiding one's face behind a computer screen gives that person much more confidence to say whatever he or she wants. The power of an ordinary citizen is extraordinary because with a few clicks behind a computer screen, he or she can manipulate anything.
Emanuel pd4
ReplyDeleteI think that Rand's idea of having an to make it easier for people to follow his campaign was actually a good idea. However, the fact that you can take a selfie with his was a horrible idea. The selfies NPR showed in the article had to have been some of the milder memes that were taken with this app. I can imagine there are a lot more inappropriate ones that they were allowed to show (like the Nicki Minaj one they mentioned). I don't know why the developer's of this app or people from Rand's campaign haven't disabled this feature yet as this will likely do more harm than good for Rand's campaign.
KC Pd 9
ReplyDeleteIt is important to be 'cool' and connect with voters because these days social media is the new trend. If candidates connect on social media, it can garner a lot of attention for them, especially with young voters, which are actually very important. Barack Obama was able to get a great deal of young votes in the 2008 and 2012 elections which gave him an advantage over the other candidates. Although the internet sometimes twists and makes fun of candidates on the internet such as how Hillary Clinton posted a funny snapchat of her at Cedar Rapids and it viral on Vine, Twitter, and Facebook. I, myself follow many candidates on social media because it is a quick way to read some of their thoughts on issues instead of watching the news. Jeb Bush tweeted, "Sorry Mom" when he announced that he smoked marijuana in high school and it got 30,000 retweets and favorites. Social media can help candidates and make them more talked about. Although sometimes this talk can be negative, I believe that social media interaction will be crucial in this coming election.
I think that it is vital for candidates to "be cool and connect with voters" due to an abundance of reasons. One reason being that by the time the election comes there will be a whole new wave of 18 year old voters eager to vote and by appealing/acknowledging their social culture they will have heightened popularity. Also by doing this it may be seen as if the candidates are welcoming these attacks by allowing easy access to everyone however all these attacks are only bringing publicity which is a positive since "Any Publicity is good publicity." Lastly I think that it is important that these candidates start becoming more modern as the public grows more modern so they can really understand society in all it's views. I'm sure Rand Paul has learned his lesson with how inappropriate the public can be and I believe this will open strengthen his knowledge and campaign.
ReplyDelete-VS
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ReplyDeletePd. 4 U.D.
ReplyDeleteAlthough candidates are trying to connect with voters for the upcoming election, many end up missing their mark with social media campaigns, such as Rand Paul. Personally, I think his app was a good idea and that the Stand with Rand photo booth was not a bad idea. I believe that no matter what you put on the internet, someone will find a way to use it to be crude or inappropriate. While I do think that taking down the app was a good idea for Rand Paul, I do not think that developing and posting the app in the first place was a bad idea. Rand Paul could have predicted people using the app to post inappropriate material and to mock him, but overall, it likely did him more good than bad because it provided a medium for him to disseminate his beliefs and a place for supporters to provide funding.
I think this was an innovative idea because it integrated social media use into Paul's campaign strategy. Theoretically it made sense, but its reception was unpredictable and the app has been more of a gag than an effective tool.
ReplyDelete-AD Period 4
Gene Yu Pd 4
ReplyDeleteI think in order to become a successful candidate, it is important to be straightforward. The voters would like to see a politician who is not afraid to state his or her beliefs. During the debate, it's not wise to stray away from the questions. It is important to be very honest to the audience.
ECR (Pd. 4) - Rand Paul's selfie app fiasco is the embodiment of the difficult dynamic that modern politicians face to appeal to the millennial generation, in light of Obama's sweeping 2008 victory that galvanized young people to vote like never before. This phenomenon is observable in Hillary Clinton's social media presence expansion, Bernie Sanders' live-tweeting of the GOP debate, and, now, Rand Paul's selfie app. Though each admirable in their own right, politicians will have to do more than cook up a few flashy gizmos to win the millennial vote.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI think Rand Paul's app is an excellent way for him to popularize himself with a meme. Through having everyone post memes with him, whether it be for fun or not, he is getting publicity. There's no such thing as bad press.
ReplyDelete- MSK Pd. 4 AP Economics
I find it really funny how hard the candidates try to connect with the younger voters. They do not fully comprehend our lives, yet they try to represent us. Sen. Rand Paul is a perfect example because he understood the importance of social media in our lives, but he failed to understand that people deliberately go out of their way to mock people. The #StandWithRand campaign is a failure because the publicity that Sen. Paul is getting is negative, and people still don't care about what he has to say. I believe that the best way to appeal to the younger generations is to talk about issues that concern them. For example, college tuitions are a big concern for younger voters, especially those participating in their first election. Instead, we have politicians attacking each other and acting like children.
ReplyDeleteSam George
Pd.4
Good try, Rand Paul, but as much as I love you and libertarianism, I don't think a selfie app is going to solve your issues. Paul should, before coming up with inane ways to publicize his campaign, correct his swaying stances on issues should he want to attract more people. Albeit the accessibility of candidates is a great factor in elections and is a trait that is generally overlooked by candidates, I do not believe that a selfie app can parallel a rope line or a rally. In the end, though, there's nothing such as bad publicity. Good try, Paul.
ReplyDeleteTDN AP Econ Pd. 9
N.P. Pd 9
ReplyDeletePoliticians are so out of touch with mainstream media. Basically, one of the only politicians who was effective at using social media was Obama. This problem is especially prevalent with Republicans, a party largely dominated by old men. And, why is Rand Paul even making an attempt in this presidential race? He is not getting the nomination period. Trump, Bush, Fiorina, Carson, and Rubio are the group from which the nominee will be chosen. Rand Paul should go back to being a Senator and focus on that rather than wasting money on this fruitless venture. On the point of the candidates using apps and sites to sell merchandise, like the famous Make America Great Again Hat, which sells for an enormous sum of money, I completely do not buy into that garbage. They sell soaps, and towels with their name on it, which cost several times more than normal. Money is such a destructive force on the election process.