Yakking away ’bout nothin’

A pronouncement about popular social media app Yik Yak from president Megan Dunn may not have had the intended effect. As part of the #antisocialmedia campaign she called for delegates to avoid the app, which allows users to share anonymous comments to those within a 5-mile radius. A quick check on Brighton’s YikYak feed revealed several people saying they had downloaded the app purely to find out what she was making a fuss about. Nothing particularly unpleasant was posted, although one delegate did take advantage of anonymity to ask what the HE Green Paper was. The issue was raised again later, when Motion 303 was passed, calling for tighter restrictions on social media during elections. But Dunn is no stranger to the power of social media; she paid for a custom #GetItDunn Snapchat filter which people could use at the conference.

Volume Control

Opening the conference, Vonnie Sandlan welcomed groups from each area of the United Kingdom, inviting delegates to cheer for their patch. Almost immediately afterwards, Sandlan very soberly stepped in, telling delegstes to keep the cheering to a minimum and remain calm and quiet - then the chairs begin dancing as loud music playing. Volume levels rose steadily throughout the day, and one delegate tweeted: “Whooping isn’t ‘rowdiness’, it’s putting people in physical pain and making conference innaccessible.” Later in the afternoon the DPC threatened to withdraw peoples’ votes for whooping; a lone whoop rang out in agreement from the observers’ balcony.

Message in a Bottle

Presidential candidate Adil Waraich may well be feeling left out as the debate focuses on Malia and Megan, but he does not seem to be helping his campaign. Having turned up at 9am, he reportedly went to the beach instead of joining the conference. Indeed, he even suggested an emergency motion on Twitter - to spend the rest of the day in a deckchair. Delegates can be forgiven for not knowing much about his campaign, as he didn’t even make it to the hustings.