WARNING! POLITICIAN BRAIN OVERHEATED

Even though social media is a useful tool for politicians, its use in activist movements only overwhelms lawmakers in deciding which issue they should give their time to. In controversial times like we live in today, there are so many issues that affect so much of the population. It can be difficult trying to decipher which issues should go to the top of the agenda and which can be placed a couple slots down, not needing immediate attention. In trying to figure out this, politicians turn to their constituents to hear their struggles and needs. A great way for them to do this is using social media to have direct contact and immediate responses. However, like any researcher knows, sometimes there is an overwhelming amount of information that can be hard to sift through.

Issues like race, gender, and sexual identity as well as environmentalism are at the top of any news feed on an array social media platforms. However, because these agendas are large, it makes it harder for any politician to give equal attention to all of the issues. This may leave other movements, who feel their cause is just as worthy, believing that their representative doesn’t believe their cause important enough. For example, recently, news of the treatment of immigrants in border detention centers has come to the surface of American media and politics. The United States’s has long history of immigration policy, defined by the times and the people it affects.

More recently, the treatment of young, immigrant children has been called into play by many news outlets and journalists covering the story. In September 2018, it was reported that 12,800 children were stuck in detention centers. Most of the children were put into cages and went without proper care, such as meals and medical attention. Also, many of the kids were separated from their parents and unable to communicate with detention officials due to language barriers. Many of these stories, published by news outlets, were the top of all social media platforms. People flocked to social media to post stories of individuals affected by the situation. Two of the outstanding stories posted were of 7 year old Jakelin Caal Maquin and an 8 year old Guatemalan boy who both died in Border Patrol custody. These stories are only a portion of an endless news cycle.

A lot of stories become buried when new stories are published online. If media outlets don’t continue to cover the stories and post them on social media platforms for people to stay updated on, many people won’t continue to stay updated on their own. Without this source of information for voters to speak on, lawmakers aren’t aware of the issues with their constituents are concerned about. This plays into an endless cycle. If a story that’s a part of a larger issue does not continue to receive media coverage, then the story dies out. It is replaced by other stories in a feed. In this case, the coverage of immigration, especially with in relation to border patrol and detention centers, has to continue to fight for it's spot at the top for lawmakers. Then immigration rights is battle with women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental issues, etc. to receive the attention of lawmakers.