New Tricks of Cyberpolitics

„I hear there is rumours on the internets” (G.W.Bush)

Many believe that J.F.K. won the 1960 elections because the camera loved him. Back then TV was the new media and the J.F.K. – Nixon debate was the cutting edge of political campaigning. Kennedy had the talent for it and his opponent didn’t.
In 2004 blogging was that new exciting frontier. Lucky for Bush, people called “e-campaign managers” were there to help him find his way around the “internets”.
Americans were always ahead of the game in utilizing the new media for political purposes and right now the 2008 campaign is pushing the boundaries through innovative cyber strategies. On the other side of Atlantic, the British are watching and learning.
Behind all that excitement is the belief that the political landscape has changed significantly due to development of social media, and that Web 2.0 is the new political battlefield for this campaign. Internet’s Broader Role in Campaign 2008, a study done by Pew Research Centre, shows we’re not quite there yet, but we’re certainly moving in that direction.
So, all the candidates have their e-campaign chiefs. Who conduct social media audits to determine who the e-fluentials are in order to influence them (pardon, e-nfluence). and develop blogger relations. They also have thousands of new friends on Facebook and MySpace and target them with their friendly messages.
Hillary, for example, has around 125 000 friends on Facebook. You can regularly monitor their exact number on tech President. That is, if you care. In addition, Google’s Election & Issues Advocacy sales team offers the Election 2008 Gadget providing the newest blogs and YouTube videos for the candidates of your choice.
Some of the candidates even have a second life, which is a way of reaching out to people who have escaped their real lives in order to get as far away as possible form the annoying politicians (among other things).
But, Internet is a jungle, mind you. Al sorts of thing can go wrong. For instance, a Republican candidate Joe Biden by strange accident became friends with one named Suzy Q, a transsexual adult entertainer. Lovely as she might be, she wasn’t exactly friendship material for his conservative voters.
Strange accidents aside, Internet is still not the battlefield. But it will be, and soon. Candidates who recognize it as a level playingfield where everyone has a chance to be influential will be the winners. There is no tactic, no matter how sophisticated, that can compensate for the lack of vision, quality and ethical standards.



CBC News Today host Nancy Wilson interviews Jesse Hirsh regarding the role and influence of social media on the 2008 US Presidential Election