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Health & Fitness

North Canton Goes Digital for the Election

Social media is an influencer, and not just in cyberspace; it's also a part of North Canton. Read how North Canton is part of the trend with this year's election results.

With Twitter recording 20 million tweets from last night’s election and Obama’s celebration moment making the most liked photo ever on Facebook, according to Mashable, it’s no surprise that North Canton would be part of this digital chitchat.

At Caffe Gelato in North Canton, Vicki Stanley, owner of American Medical Personnel, discusses how Facebook was a key social media outlet for her when reviewing opinions about the election results. She said how it “stunned” her at what was being said on Facebook.

“People were vocally brutal and de-friending those who didn’t support their opinions,” Stanley said.

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With social media playing a big part for those viewing election results and utilizing their freedom of speech, it’s become a tool for encouraging many to vote. According to The Daily Dot, 22 percent of Americans shared whom they voted for on social media.

“Unsurprisingly, younger voters are the most active: 18-to-29-year-olds are most likely to have, via social media, been encouraged by family or friends to vote (45 percent) to have announced they voted (29 percent), and encouraged others to choose the same Presidential candidate (34 percent),” The Daily Dot published.

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Another customer at Caffe Gelato, Hector Cabarcas, local designer, believes that social media can influence perception. He used Twitter to see what political tweets were trending.

North Canton not only is part of the digital chitchat, but it’s also part of a state that carried the election. ABC News said that Ohio is important because of its 18 Electoral College votes, making North Canton residents proud.

“I’m happy and proud Ohio was one of the states that carried the election,” Stanley said.

How did social media affect your political opinion? Did it influence your vote?

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