Past studies have found that voters who see more of their Facebook friends talking about voting are more likely to vote themselves. The roll out of the ‘I’m a Voter’ button is a small way that Facebook helped encourage people to take part in the democratic process.
The ‘I’m a voter’ button that appeared on users' Facebook newsfeed, particularly those eligible to vote, reached 4,705,045 people and 553,261 shared that they had voted – 8,891,081 impressions and 987,616 primary actions were linked to this activity.
Voters also took to Instagram to share their inked thumbs using the hashtag #myvote. The hashtag, which was used over 9,000 times, shows how people across the country are coming to Instagram to share their voice on the election and to encourage others to 'make their mark' on South Africa's future.
These numbers show that both Facebook and Instagram play an essential role in elections in South Africa by providing access to the voices behind the campaigns and showing a personal side to politics.
Ebele Okobi, head of public policy for Africa, Facebook, said, “With 14 million people in South Africa using Facebook, we are pleased that our platform is where many South Africans discuss their hopes for South Africa's future. This effort is one part of Facebook's mission to make the world more open and connected: by helping the people who use Facebook to engage more easily with the leaders who make the decisions that affect their lives every day.”
