Social Media and Political Engagement | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project

Social Media and Political Engagement | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project

The use of social media is becoming a feature of political and civic engagement for many Americans. Some 60% of American adults use either social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter, and a new survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project finds that 66% of those social media users—or 39% of all American adults—have done at least one of eight civic or political activities with social media.

66% of social media users have employed the platforms to post their thoughts about civic and political issues, react to others’ postings, press friends to act on issues and vote, follow candidates, ‘like’ and link to others’ content, and belong to groups formed on social networking sites.

Campaigns Use Social Media to Lure Younger Voters - NYTimes.com

Campaigns Use Social Media to Lure Younger Voters - NYTimes.com:

In 2012, it is not enough for candidates to shake some hands, kiss a baby or two and run some TV ads. They also need to be posting funny little animations on the blogging site Tumblr.

If the presidential campaigns of 2008 were dipping a toe into social media like Facebook and Twitter, their 2012 versions are well into the deep end. They are taking to fields of online battle that might seem obscure to the non-Internet-obsessed — sharing song playlists on Spotify, adding frosted pumpkin bread recipes to Pinterest and posting the candidates’ moments at home with the children on Instagram.

Privacy Advocates and Advertisers at Odds Over Web Tracking - NYTimes.com

Privacy Advocates and Advertisers at Odds Over Web Tracking - NYTimes.com:

An effort to develop an easy way for consumers around the world to avoid being tracked and targeted by Internet advertisers appeared to hit an impasse Thursday, as privacy advocates and industry representatives accused each other of scuttling the process.

He Won't Tell You His Name, But He'll Help You Hide Your Money : Planet Money : NPR

He Won't Tell You His Name, But He'll Help You Hide Your Money : Planet Money : NPR:

We set up our shell companies. Then we wondered: What do people actually do with shell companies?

One popular use, it turns out, is what professionals call "asset protection." Ordinary people call this "hiding money."

That's debatable. What's not debatable: All these tricks are within the law. "It's legal," one lawyer said to me. "Is it moral? That's a question for the bishop."

Flightfox Lets the Crowd Find the Best Airfares - NYTimes.com

Flightfox Lets the Crowd Find the Best Airfares - NYTimes.com:

TRAVEL search sites have made it easy to find the lowest available fares ever since the Web’s early Jurassic period, when pioneers like Expedia and Travelocity opened shop. Many others, like Kayak and Hipmunk, have since joined in.