Politicians Trended More Than Ever on Twitter in 2012

Photo source: Twitter

Though talk has often been referred to as “cheap”, tweeting could be something of great worth. Allowing some with difficulties talking to share thoughts, finding the wealth of other people’s thoughts and even the chance to interact with someone you would have otherwise never met is a strong positive to Twitter‘s allure to over 500 million users. Of those users in 2012, an increasing number are leading public official of many nation governments.

　

2012 Ranking of World Leaders on Twitter

Tracking the impact of world leaders on Twitter and other social media networks, the Digital Policy Council (DPC) released their 2012 report how politicians are reaching out over the electronic micro-blogging service. On Twitter right now, newly-re-elected president of the United States Barack Obama dominates in the Follower count with over 24,600,000 as of this past December. Obama’s Twitter Followers dwarfs the second highest Twitter account in Followers by more than 20,000,000 users. According to a study released by the DPC, the President of Venezuela Hugo Chevez maintains a second place ranking with above 3.8 million Followers. Turkish President Abdullah Gul is third in the DPC ranking and Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordon is fourth. Rounding out the top five on the 2012 list of Twitter accounts is Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The current United States President is recorded as the earliest world leader to find Twitter on the service prior to taking office in March of 2007. In regards to early Twitter adopters, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Belgium Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper followed Obama as early adopters during 2007. In 2012, Mexican President Nieto was ninth in the overall ranking while Prime Minister Harper of Canada placed 21^st. Joining Twitter in January of 2012, Prime Minister of India’s Manmohan Singh entered the ranking in 19^th spot racking up more than 390,000 Followers in less than a year.

In the recent report issued out by the Digital Policy Council, three out of four world leaders now maintain a Twitter account. Out of the 164 countries recorded in the 2012 report, 123 leaders can now be followed by an official Twitter feed. Just as intriguing as the shear number of world leaders’ taking part in the major social network is the single year growth. With only 69 political leaders on Twitter in 2011, there has been a 78 percent increase in only a 12-month period. DPC believes the proliferation of Twitter and other social media is effective for connecting with national as well as global audiences.

　

Twitter and the US Election

Presentation of random thoughts or the ability to convey serious messages has made Twitter an instant reactor to current events. In particularly with the United States election, social media network Twitter was lit up with an electric mood where everyone had the potential of sharing a meaningful opinion. To the point that Twitter was slowed down significantly at times during debates between US president Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney, Twitter users quickly critiqued the performances of each candidate. Allowing for such phrases like “binders full of women” to be instantaneously mocked. Through the entire US election, Digital Policy Council rates 31 million election-related Tweets were shared. Making history for being the most retweeted message on the social network included a photo of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle with the words “Four more years”.

Entering 2013, it's safe to say that government officials greatly recognize the need to communicate through the more conventional in-person way as well as by maintaining a voice on social media.

Obama for Canadian Prime Minister? Ancestry.ca Shows Support

Photo Credit: Jag Gundu, CNW Group/Ancestry.ca

The major federal elections in Canada is a job that effectively only four candidates representing individual parties can seek. Given a system where our prime minister is installed as the leader of the party winning the most seats in Parliament, we are never really granted the choice of our choice person to lead the government. In a wild fake election, Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper has been measured by some unique contenders by voters.

Fighting for a second term in the White House, US president Barack Obama is focused on a 2012 election. However, in a recent poll conducted by on-line family tracking database Ancestry.ca, the current United States president would have a fighting chance to claim the high office in Canada. Through a survey performed in a mock poll in downtown Toronto, people were offered the choice of the 44th US president Barack Obama, the 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney, current Canadian prime minister or other political leaders in Canada. Obama captured an impressive 42 percent of the popular vote in the entertainment-oriented poll. In second place with 25 percent of the vote, Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper placed favourably among potential voters for the next federal election. Placing in 3rd with eight percent approval was Mitt Romney. Recent days, presidential candidate Romney does think a lot of Canada (in particularly the Alberta oil sands production that has him promising speedy approval of the XL pipeline if elected).

There were also a few write-in choices in the mock ballot that rises some eyebrows. Having just announced his intention to enter the federal Liberal party's leadership race, Justin Trudeau was one who received several bodes of support in the Ancestry.ca survey. There was also one write-in vote for the current Toronto mayor Rob Ford for the prime minister job.

The Ancestry.ca poll also measured the popularity of Stephen Harper alongside previous prime ministers and concluded that Pierre Trudeau's legacy remains strong almost 30 years after the Liberal party reigned. Taking 35 percent of the vote in the former leader category, Trudeau's next nearest rival was Lester B. Pearson who recorded a more modest 15 percent. Behind third place Sir John A. MacDonald who took 12 percent of the vote, Harper received 11 percent support ahead of Jean Chretien and Sir Wilfred Laurier who each won 6 percent of voters.

The unusual poll created by Ancestry.ca was in effort to promote the site's added inclusion of Canada Voters Lists.