Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor Mopinions@theotherpress.ca (¥ Freedom to vote (Y Federal surplus: what it means for the election (¥ Speak no evil And more! We don't need no dislike button » We don’t need no emotion control | Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer the reverse of the ever-loved “like” button. The idea is that users can express empathy in a non-endorsing way for posts where “liking” wouldn't be appropriate: announcements of a breakup, death, etc. The dislike : : aspect. It will be incredibly button has long been rumoured and requested by Facebook users, : dislike button to bully others : in many different ways. Any : posts featuring self-confidence, : photos, or other happy things : can easily be targeted. A few : “dislikes” on someone’s selfie can : do serious emotional harm. The : dislike button may be the easiest and several third-party apps have occasionally attempted to introduce one. We don’t need the dislike button. There’s another way to express sympathy or negative thoughts on Facebook when appropriate—it’s called the comment section. The like button ! : is used to express appreciation, : similar to the favourite button : on Twitter; it’s completely : optional. When expressing : sympathy or negative emotions : about a situation, commenting Row’ Facebook announced : they will soon be introducing : the long-awaited “dislike” button, : : adequate substitution for writing : a short note of sympathy (or : simply not responding to the post : from someone you barely know). ! : It’s away to shorten and trivialize : : genuine human emotion online. is a way to be more personal and heartfelt. “Disliking” a status about Grandma dying is not an Then, there’s the bullying easy for users to abuse the feature to abuse that Facebook B )Dislike : has released thus far, particularly : because of its simplicity. Facebook is a social network : that we use to communicate, : connect, and express ourselves. It : has a wide range of opportunities : for genuine interaction through : its communications. What’s > most important is making those ? communications honest and : thorough without breaking : everything down into a like/ : dislike variant. Posts may soon be : competing and causing further : battles in the comments through : likes and dislikes—YouTube, : which has a thumbs-up/thumbs- : down option, is a prime example. : YouTube is already known asa : cesspool of anger and negativity, : in addition to being an easy place : to do cyberbullying within its : comments and thumbs-down : options. Facebook comments are : moderated, but there’s no way to : control those pushing the dislike Image via secondtononenutrition.com ; button on an impressionable : young girl’s selfie. The like button has been : implemented on Facebook for : six years, during which no dislike : button was needed (or even : wanted by a majority of users). : There seems little reason to : introduce one now, particularly in : an era when miscommunication, : online aggression, and bad : interaction are more prominent : than ever. Freedom to vote » Practicing our right to have our voices heard by our government Belle Vilers Contributor We the federal election just around the corner, there have been many promises of beneficial policies given by potential leaders. Some of these policies target seniors, who statistically vote in high numbers. Yet, there is hardly any commentary steered towards the young adults. There are very few policies that are directed towards new-to-the-workforce workers and single young adults. Compared to seniors, young adults tend to not vote, and those running for office would rather focus on the needs of those who are more likely to vote for them—or at all. The low participation rate of youth voting has resulted in the political parties pushing aside their needs. According to Elections Canada, in 2011 the turnout of voters for young Canadians ages 18-23 was a low 38 per cent. Young adults in Canada today are less likely to vote, making it more likely that our government will not hear our voices and concerns. But why aren’t the youth of Canada taking the responsibility to participate? There are many reasons : why young Canadians may not : vote. People have stated that it : is a waste of time, and that their : vote won't make a difference. : You could probably argue that : it’s not your fault, and that : politics has a stage of chaotic : glamour, displaying only drama : and the bashing opinions of : opposing parties, and, simply, : it’s just corrupt. But how can we : complain that it’s corrupt, or : that there aren't enough jobs, : or that our wages aren’t enough : to live on, if we aren't doing : anything about it? Complaining : about how things are and then : not acting is like shouting at a : brick wall hoping that it’ll move. : The fact is that this apathetic, : passive attitude has made : Canadian youth seem ignorant, : and has resulted in political : policies tuning out their needs. Young adults are vulnerable : to political policies and : governmental change because : we live here; we are Canadian. : Every party has their own view : on how Canada should be, and : their views will be converted : into different kinds of policies. : We can share our opinions on : these policies by being more : politically effective and voting. : By being politically effective, : we havea higher chance that > we can be heard, and we can : voice our opinions on important : issues such as job prospects. : After spending so much time : and money, graduates want to : make sure they can secure a job : and pay off their student loans. : One of the major concerns is : what our minimum wage will be, : which will be determined by— : surprise—our government. : If the trend continues to : show a low turnout of young : adult voters, a generation : of voices will be lost. Every : vote counts towards those : representing us in the House : of Commons. No matter what : happens in the October federal : election, the choices made will : impact you, no matter who you : are. : At some point in our lives, we : start to wonder: how can I make : a difference? We can start by Image via thinkstock : becoming more active and aware : citizens, and by voting. If more : young people vote, politicians : will see that we care and we : want our voices to be heard. The : needs of the youth will be much : more important to politicians : if we meet them halfway. As : stated under section three of : the Canada Elections Act, “every : Canadian citizen 18 years of age : or older has the right to vote.”