Vote iQ takes swipe at Facebook as a political platform

The folks behind the forthcoming political social network Vote iQ took a shot at rival Facebook on Wednesday, arguing the popular site is not suited to hosting political discussions.

"The problem with Facebook is it's not terribly conducive to discussions of politics," said Vote iQ vice president and historian Rick Shenkman, explaining that a person's friends on Facebook often include a diverse group, potentially causing disagreements or awkward exchanges. "Political or religious discussions, it's not set up for that." Vote iQ's mission is based firmly in Shenkman's belief that Americans don't know enough about politics or the candidates that represent them. He said the initial target audience is the seven to eight million people classified as "political junkies," but eventually he hopes the site will appeal to older users and other interested voters.