WATCH ABOVE: Vancouver mayoral candidates on social media blackout
VANCOUVER – Candidates and political organizations have been told they must avoid campaigning over social media on election day as it constitutes advertising. This new rule was put in place back in May.
This did not sit well with Vancouver’s current Mayor, saying it might deter young people from voting.
“I’m really disappointed in Elections BC saying there’s no social media allowed for candidates or Vision staff,” said Gregor Robertson.
“It’s not a good thing. That’s a public realm and particularity impactful on our younger people voting. That’s a world they spend a lot of time in, it’s public domain and I totally disagree that we should be banned from social media on election day.”
NPA mayoral hopeful Kirk LaPointe said federally candidates are not supposed to use social media on election day so he thought the idea was reasonable.
“I think it’s good, I think it’s a way that ensures that the best information is out there and that it freeze at some point,” he said. “You don’t put out things that are distortions or that might be highly manipulative, you know.”
COPE candidate Meena Wong said she thought it was great to have a day off from tweeting.
“Really talking to people face to face is what I really enjoy anyway,” she said. “Politics is really people to people.”
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