YouTube, Facebook Debates Target Young Voters

One of the most under-represented groups in American presidential elections is youth under the age of 25. Because of the significant power allotted to those elected to this esteemed office, it seems that the voices of this large and opinionated age bracket would demand the attention of campaigners. Previous attempts to seduce young voters, such as MTV's "Rock the Vote" have largely failed and demonstrated a need for a broader tactic to finally steer this important group to the polls.

The last several presidential campaigns have been marked by fruitless efforts to increase the participation of this elusive block of voters. The 2008 election, however, may mark a change for the once poor voter-turnout of America's youth. Facebook, one of the most popular online communities, and YouTube, a leading user-published video archive, have each sponsored important debates in recent months. Political activism by such institutions may potentially breath life into the skeletal remains of the young American voting block.

On July 23rd, 2007, American youth participated first hand for the first time in a debate co-sponsored by CNN and YouTube. The Democratic debate allowed for young Americans to publish and submit their own video questions to be aired during the debate. This format focused on the younger generation, allowing for the direct inclusions of youth and demanding candidate attention to issues important to them. This was followed by a Republican debate on November 28th following the same format.

Following suit, Facebook, America's premier social networking community, co-sponsored New Hampshire's WMUR "1 Night 2 Parties" debates in preparation for the New Hampshire primaries. The debate was held on January 5th, 2008 and allowed for active participation by over 6 million Facebook users during and following the debate. With numerous issue polls relating to the candidates current discussion, and performance ratings allowing for users to pick their favorite candidates, Facebook captivated young audiences across America. Further still, ABC, who covered the debate, had a "Facebook Anchor" who kept audiences updated on Facebook poll results and user comments throughout the debate.

With a significant proportion of potential votes, America's youngest generation of voters has the ability to place a dominant influence on presidential elections. Though largely under-represented at the polls of late, recent events sponsored by youth-appealing organizations such as Facebook and YouTube create a potential for unprecedented young voter turnout. Along with a new face in the Oval Office, November 2008 will also reveal whether or not America's future leaders have finally been persuaded to exercise their right to vote.