All over the world, the wide spread of social media is impacting elections either positively or negatively. These social media platforms have the capacity to highly increase political participation and can also be used to silence agreement, spread false information and even fuel electoral tension.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp and others have a great impact on public discourse and shape the mind of the mass followers. It is the source of information for many people especially the youth. This is why it is a means through which we can use to promote peace, before, during and after the 2020 elections here in Ghana.
First of all, Internet service providers, telephone companies and the state should carry out public information and education campaigns as part of actions to curb online hatred. The general public should be educated on what real and fake news are, and the need to verify or cross check information before believing or using them.
Political leaders should use social media to interact with followers, spread vital information, and to mobilize supporters during election period. Peace actors like the national peace council, council of state and others should use the platform to educate Ghanaians about circulation of hateful and provocative messages that can lead to violence. During the elections we can use social media to share videos of violence and other misconducts at polling stations should there be any. This helps generate public attention, alerts the police, government and other actors.
Social media users also require protection from unnecessary interference and irresponsible users especially through self-regulation and moderation by site managers. This will guarantee users their rights to freedom of expression.
It is our responsibility as social media users to support those media elements which promote the values which make a better Ghana and discourage those elements which only lead to violence, hate, war and genocide.
Social media can be used to promote peace and encourage dialogue among people from different ethnic and religious background. If social media is well-utilized, it can change one’s perception on ethnicity, attitude and promote tolerance and mutual understanding. This can bridge the divisions between ethnic groups. Let us use social media to promote peace before, during and after the 2020 elections in December.
Story by : Deborah Okulolo
Source : https://sysomos.com/2016/10/05/social-media-affects-politics/
Photo Credit: http://www.google.com
P4Politics 
Very important
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very influencing
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master piece for all
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Nice one
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I believe with social media our goals can be achieve. Social media is an avenue where different ethics group come together with their different views and perspective in life. Social media don’t discriminate or neglect.
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Wow it’s really a nice one!
Good job sweet !
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Social media is something good that passes informations all over the world quick and fast and I think it between two part advantage and disadvantage so let keep up with this platform because it helps teach and learn fast too there are lot is thing like Mrs Deborah Okulolo have already said it all
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Great 👍
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Believe it or not a good platform in life
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You are doing well
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Let’s all join hands and make this media a better place for everyone 💪
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Some people who don’t go to school learn slot from the social media! And it help them became something in life not by going to school but learning everyday from the social media life
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Good piece
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Good one
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Really good
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Social media platform at the moment is the host community of dissemination of information across the global, emphasis and research works prove that over 500 millions people are users of social media, information of peace and love can be shared to millions of people through social media and such we should always Preach peace, love and shun hatred messages
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Social media has, undoubtedly, become one vital platform for quick dissemination of information in our age. The danger here is that, not every information that circulates on social media is accurate.
In this election year, one sure way to encourage peace via social media is dissemination of information that are from credible sources. In view of the fact that news spread out very fast on social media, pranks and deliberate misinformation must at all cost be avoided. Instead, we should all endeavor to take into consideration the source of an information before we share with friends, families, the general public. Other than that, we may misinform the public, which may trigger unnecessary panic and confusion among communities and the nation at large.
Peace is key to national development: it should therefore be in our keen interest to maintain and promote peace all around us, in all we do.
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