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Facebook and CNN launch the 'I'm Voting' app

The social network and news source debut their social app, which lets users display political preferences on their Facebook timelines, news feeds, and real-time tickers.

Dara Kerr Former senior reporter
Dara Kerr was a senior reporter for CNET covering the on-demand economy and tech culture. She grew up in Colorado, went to school in New York City and can never remember how to pronounce gif.
Dara Kerr
The "I'm Voting" app lets users display their political preferences on the social network. Screenshot by Dara Kerr/CNET

As election season heats up, politics are increasingly taking center stage in Facebook discussions -- and now that's going to step up even another notch. The social network and CNN launched their "I'm Voting" app today.

Announced last month, the app lets users commit to voting while endorsing specific candidates and issues. The commitments are displayed on users' timelines, news feeds, and real-time tickers. This way (for better or for worse) users can show all of their friends who they are voting for and how they feel about certain issues -- like immigration, health care, and the economy.

Part of CNN's idea in helping create this app was to survey voters on Facebook and then use the metrics to provide social media stats on President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Users' answers to these questions are displayed on several different interactive maps.

As of this writing, 1,660 people on Facebook have pledged to vote in November. Of the participating users, 53 percent said they are Democrat, while 25 percent are Republican, and 22 percent said they are Independent. The economy has the most votes as being the most critical issue for users.

Facebook also partnered with Washington state and Microsoft in July to create an app that lets the state's residents register to vote via the social network. Besides registering to vote on Facebook, residents can also "like" the app and recommend it to friends.