With allegations that operatives based out of Russia purchased Facebook advertisements to interfere in the 2016 presidential election and an investigation underway by the United States Congress to assess the extent of the Russians’ interference, Facebook may have played an unexpected role in the electoral process of the United States.  How did this social media platform evolve into an advertising platform, and how did it become a political tool?

As the “Poll Hub” team discusses, Facebook’s technology allows audiences to be targeted on a granular level to receive a specific, tailored message.  As “Poll Hub” host and tech entrepreneur Jay DeDapper explains it, the lack of regulations of these advertisements created a digital “Wild West.”