MercatorNet: The growing influence of Facebook

Facebook has about 1.6 billion monthly users, about 200 million of them in the United States. It's obviously a great platform for influencing public opinion in an election year. One election strategist says that Facebook is “more than seven times more effective at converting undecided voters than direct mail”. 

In recent days the company has had to deny that it has stacked the deck, as it were, against conservatives in its trending news feed. But the allegations have created a public relations crisis for the world's biggest social network. In our lead article today,Jeffrey Pawlick explains some of the technology behind the growing influence of social media. 

Michael Cook 
Editor 
MERCATORNET

Facebook, surveillance capitalism, and feedback control Jeffrey Pawlick | CONNECTING | 24 May 2016 How data analytics has gone from measuring to controlling reality Read more...

How to get your kids to obey Mary Cooney | FAMILY EDGE | 24 May 2016 Age-appropriate goals for instilling an important virtue. Read more...

A new portrait of American slavery emerges Joshua Rothman | FEATURES | 24 May 2016 Over the years, slave-owners placed 200,000 newspaper ads for escaped slaves Read more...

Does religion help you live longer? Michael Cook | ABOVE | 24 May 2016 A Harvard study confirms perceptions of a link between going to church and good health Read more...

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