"The Obama campaign illustrated the massive, meaningful impact that social media can have on getting young people engaged and involved. Mybarackobama.com was not merely a website; it was a movement that made politics accessible through social media people were already using every day. It changed the face of political campaigns forever; but even more so, it made getting involved as easy as opening up an internet browser and creating an online profile. Above all, The Obama campaign made history: It showed the power of social media to do nothing short of changing the world."

Do you agree with the claim that social media was in effect what won the election for President Obama? Do you think it played the same role in both elections, 2008 and 2012? What differences, if any, do you think were evident between the two campaigns, and what different impact (positive or negative) can you identify? Why do you think that, after observing the Obama campaign in 2008, the 2012 Republican campaign was still not able to equally capitalize on social media? Identify another elected official who you believe also benefited as much as President Obama from the social media. Be sure to also address the concern that perhaps they got an "unfair" advantage from their incorporation of social media into their campaigns.