The article isn't about politics and social media, but imagine if it were.
Turning to friends is the new rage in the Web world, extending far beyond established social networking sites and setting off a rush among Web companies looking for ways to help people capitalize on the wisdom of their social circles — and to make some money in the process.It's a fascinating use of social media, and immediately got me thinking of politics. Perhaps it wouldn't be as useful at the national level - I would think people don't look for their friends' advice on who to vote for President or Congress, but perhaps they do - but at the local level, I never know who the various judges or other officials are. Even city council members become a blur. Assuming my friends have a clue, which isn't altogether a certainty, it would be interesting to see who they're voting for.
“What your friends think and what people like you think is much more relevant than what everybody thinks,” said Augie Ray, an analyst with Forrester Research.
Amazon.com now allows its shoppers to connect to their Facebook accounts so that Amazon can display their friends’ favorite books, films and other products. TunerFish, a start-up owned by Comcast, lets users share what television shows and movies they are watching, mapping out an up-to-the-minute TV guide of programs gaining in popularity among their friends.
Of course, you have to get beyond Americans' privacy about how they vote.
