General Election 2019 (UK)

[jimibt]

I can't wait for the election to be over. Such a morass of misinformation all over the place. Social media has made elections such a right mess.

It's sort of... Here is some shocking news, hold on, that's fake, no that fake is fake. No the news of the fake was faked by a fake. Err, what?

.. hence why I (in all honesty) have no social media affiliations, and never have had. Of course, work demands different standards, but luckily, that's under a coroprate banner. in short, i feel my decision xx years ago to avoid personal friction on social media (loose description also) has allowd me to (from on old fashioned standpoint) be pretty disconnected from the manipulating shennaigans that define the current landscape.

As an aside, i was given a amazon DOT last year from a well meaning relative as a xmas gift. I didn't refuse (so as not to offend), but did later in the year point my sister to a great book that I'd read on data harvesting by Shoshana Zuboff (The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power) :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Age-Surveillan ... 994&sr=8-1

Read this and realise that asking alexa for a latte recommendation is selling short on your offsprings' futures... anywayz!!

[Euler]

I joined social media but, on a personal level, I'm a social media dropout. Facebook is just terrible during an election and that's saying something as it's bad at the best of times. Unless you like foodies, dogs, etc. I've done pretty well avoiding it during this campaign but I still get stuff shoved in my face.

Surely a way to be inclusive in society is to go back to the old fashioned way of talking to people? Kids are too quick to send a message, why not pick the bloody phone up and talk to your friend?

[superfrank]

Is youtube classed as social media?
If so then it's the only one I use (view), but I don't sign in (so never comment) and clear my cookies regularly to prevent being bombarded with stuff the algorithm thinks I'm interested in.
Presently they're throwing the Labour ad (the Maggie Thatcher/miner's strike one) at me. Skip ads.

[Archery1969]

In 10 years time the NHS will cost a stupid amount of money. It cannot be a bottomless pit of money year after year.

Hopefully in 10 years time gene therapy should have progressed to the point where costs start to reduce dramatically. Hopefully?

This is another reason costs are escalating...
Screenshot_4.png
.
...the solution is susidised fags, booze and cakes, and a ban on jogging ASAP! That way people do the decent thing and die while they're paying tax instead of after 20yrs of free prescriptions, arsing around all day on mobility scooters and then needing £700 a week care for another 10yrs. I wonder if any party would be brave enough to suggest a much needed cull in their next manifesto, could be popular with the younger voters?

Makes me wonder when people say smoking has decreased, is that based on HMRC revenue ? Because where I live yes people have stopped buying them from the local shop but their still smoking and buying them from the local Newhaven to France day tripper old chap.

[Euler]

NEW: @YouGov MRP model published by @thetimes cuts projected Tory majority from 68 two weeks ago to 28 now

CON 339
LAB 231
LDEM 15
SNP 41

Range on Tory predictions is 311-367, so we CANNOT rule out a hung Parliament.

[dragontrades]

Looking dodgy for IDS
https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/p ... .164391628

[Dallas]

NEW: @YouGov MRP model published by @thetimes cuts projected Tory majority from 68 two weeks ago to 28 now

CON 339
LAB 231
LDEM 15
SNP 41

Range on Tory predictions is 311-367, so we CANNOT rule out a hung Parliament.

Could be good news for the torys, a large majority and many may not go out on Thursday believing its in the bag

[dragontrades]

https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/p ... .160663234
This could be an interesting market if things do go tits up.
I don't see any stand out names and neither does the market.

[Kafkaesque]

NEW: @YouGov MRP model published by @thetimes cuts projected Tory majority from 68 two weeks ago to 28 now

CON 339
LAB 231
LDEM 15
SNP 41

Range on Tory predictions is 311-367, so we CANNOT rule out a hung Parliament.

Could be good news for the torys, a large majority and many may not go out on Thursday believing its in the bag

Far as I know, the common perception is that this sort of belief (that it's in the bag) is usually bad news, rather than good, and an extra motivation to make sure that people actually go to vote. Reasoning being AFAIK that human nature would more so make the "already declared winners" think that their side will win with or without their single vote, so they'll just stay at home and warm with a cup of tea. Whereas the "already losing side" will have a bigger urgency that every vote counts, if you're to stand any chance. Of course also some where it'll be a my vote doesn't matter now attitude, but it will be less so, than on the other side of things.

Most famously with the Truman vs Dewey election, and Hilary for that very reason spent a large portion of her energy during the final week(s) urging people to still go vote; reminding them it wasn't done and dusted.

[ShaunWhite]

Despite media attempts to hype the election it's been the dullest and least edifying ever. The result has never been in doubt and the Liar in Chief has won over the sort of people who believe what they read on anti-social media. Details not necessary but I spent 5hrs in A&E yesterday, my doc said it was a normal day. Good luck to anyone whos kids get ill. Doesn't matter though because Boris is entertaining the masses like Coco the fuckin Clown on a tractor.

Oh well, it's been a nice little earner so all's not lost.

https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/10/investig ... -11651802/

[wearthefoxhat]

I wonder when an on-line vote option will be set up. I'm sure the vote% turnout would be higher than we see at the moment.

Of course there's a possibility of hacking/tampering etc, but nowadays there are great advancements in online security.

[ShaunWhite]

I wonder when an on-line vote option will be set up. I'm sure the vote% turnout would be higher than we see at the moment.

It's the right way to go but the counter argument (and there always is one) is that if people aren't engaged enough with politics to vote now, then how informed would their opinion be if all they had to do was click on some sort of X-Factor style app. On-line disinformation has been bad enough without turning the whole process into Tinder. Perhaps voting should be even harder with a test to show you understand the facts and you're not just being misled by spin (both sides).

[Wolf1877]

Perhaps voting should be even harder with a test to show you understand the facts and you're not just being misled by spin (both sides).

A slippery slope to Orwellian authoritarianism there Shaun. Who will decide if an individual does "understand the facts"?

[wearthefoxhat]

I wonder when an on-line vote option will be set up. I'm sure the vote% turnout would be higher than we see at the moment.

It's the right way to go but the counter argument (and there always is one) is that if people aren't engaged enough with politics to vote now, then how informed would their opinion be if all they had to do was click on some sort of X-Factor style app. On-line disinformation has been bad enough without turning the whole process into Tinder. Perhaps voting should be even harder with a test to show you understand the facts and you're not just being misled by spin (both sides).

Yep, can see that, always a counter argument for sure.

The popularity of BigBrother/X-Factor/Strictly would be evidence of how "attractive" the option could be. There are other considerations too....(taken from change.org - sign the petition...which garnered 240 votes! )

Screenshot_2019-12-11 Sign the Petition.png

[firlandsfarm]

Despite media attempts to hype the election it's been the dullest and least edifying ever. The result has never been in doubt and the Liar in Chief has won over the sort of people who believe what they read on anti-social media. Details not necessary but I spent 5hrs in A&E yesterday, my doc said it was a normal day. Good luck to anyone whos kids get ill. Doesn't matter though because Boris is entertaining the masses like Coco the fuckin Clown on a tractor.

I guess you won't be voting Conservative then Shaun!