If you have either an Instagram or a Facebook account you are likely to be questioning why you are getting pop-ups, reminding you to vote.
The social media company announced this summer, that it was embarking on the biggest voting information campaign, with the aim of assisting four million voters to register to vote, using their platforms.
Reminders are being sent, based on your location and your age, telling you how you can register to vote and to request a mail-in ballot.
Clicking on the tab does take you to a State Division of Elections site where fuller information is provided.
The question you ought to be asking is what information is Facebook getting from you.
Alan Crowetz, of InfoStream and WPTV’s Internet Security expert, said that contrary to misconceptions, Facebook is not in the business of social media. They make absolutely nothing from any/all accounts on social media. Their business is information and advertising. They collect information, such as yours. They are experts at it.
Alan went on to say that it is perfectly possible, information on who clicks which tabs, is being stored. Facebook have already said they use your location to provide information from your state.
Valentine Loustra, a Palm Beach County voter said he doesn’t trust social media platforms to help him change his voting preferences. However Lori Wilgis said it’s how she found out where to drop off her mail in ballot. She told WPTV Ch5 that she had clicked to find out her choices for early voting were in Palm Beach County, and where the ballots could be dropped off.
Wendy Sartory Link, Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, explained that when dealing with a situation such as the Covid 19 Pandemic during an election, it was a good thing to be able to provide more help to enable people to vote.
It is currently much harder for people to get out due to Covid, and this is getting people to a legitimate place where they can register to vote, which they needed to do before October 5th.