A new study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project reveals that 46% of Americans have used the Internet, email, or text messaging to get or share election information this year. 35% have watched online political videos -- triple the number that watched video online in 2004, while 39%, according to the study, have turned to the web for "unfiltered" campaign information, such as raw video or transcripts of speeches and debates. But Americans aren't convinced that all this social media business is a good thing for politics.
Beyond making C-SPAN-like unfiltered material more sexy, the Internet is also getting more people involved. The Pew study found that 5% of Americans have posted their own political commentary to newsgroups, discussion boards, or blogs, a figure that grows to 12% when looking at the 18-29 year old set, which indicates that the web as a major factor in politics is a trend that is likely to continue.
That young votes are more likely to be involved with politics online is an advantage for Democrats, because young voters tend to lean toward presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama, according to Pew. Obama's supporters are more web savvy than those of his competitors, and even though the study found that just 6% of American's have given to a presidential campaign via the web, Barack Obama's record haul owes a far greater percentage to online contributions. Just 2% of Americans gave online during the last presidential election. Given the increased web involvement of the millennial generation, we can probably expect 2012 to be another record setting cycle in terms of online involvement and fundraising.
However, is all this information gathering shifting online a good thing? Americans aren't so sure. While 22% of Americans say that they wouldn't even be involved with a campaign in any way if not for the Internet, 35% feel that the web magnifies the most extreme voices, which can "drown out average people's views." And a majority of Americans surveyed feel that the web is full of propaganda and misinformation that too many people believe.
We noted last week that the echo chamber effect of the blogosphere has a way of making rumors go wild and have far-reaching consequences outside of the web. That said, it is exciting that such a large percentage of Americans are now using the web to seek primary sources that were previously unavailable or hard to attain. Whereas in the past people had to rely on information filtered by reporters, now voters are able to use the web to find videos, transcripts and position papers to see the quotes in context, so to speak -- and then offer their own opinions back to fellow voters. That has to be a net positive.
Comments
Subscribe to comments for this post OR Subscribe to comments for all Read/WriteWeb posts
I read this ebook Politics and Government in the Age of the Internet, which explores international trends in e-politics and e-government from a number of different perspectives. It's a very interesting read. Personally, I feel that political awareness, which is facillitated by the increased use of the internet to gain political information, can only be good in light of the vast ignorance inherent in American culture. The myriad of contradicting information causes people to think more analytically about politics, rather than accepting whatever their favourite news programme tells them.
Posted by: Mia | June 16, 2008 12:29 PM
" . . .35% feel that the web magnifies the most extreme voices . . ."
This was said about Op/Ed letters to the editor in the heydays of print journalism. Then it was said about talk radio during the 80s and 90s. Now they're saying it about the web.
I submit that it's the people who actually understand and care about the issues that are at the vanguard of communications.
Posted by: Rob Purdie | June 16, 2008 1:14 PM
I think Obama should view this website before becoming president so he will be able to help many of our americans without health insurance.
http://secu.yourbodyiswater.info
Posted by: Juanita | June 16, 2008 1:49 PM
This is probably a good thing. It seems that the mainstream media only gives us the news they want us to hear, spun the way they want it spun. I prefer the raw feed.
Posted by: Bob | June 16, 2008 4:31 PM
Hi Josh,
Excellent coverage, you should also consider the research done using Scope video about the democratic primary elections by divinity Metrics. This is a very good coverage of how online video played a critical role for Obama in these elections.
http://www.divinitymetrics.com/blog/?p=100
Posted by: Johnson | June 16, 2008 6:58 PM
The web is also turning politics into a conversation where everybody can contribute. Debate sites like CreateDebate.com frame the conversation so that the most extreme voices aren't the only ones that can be heard.
Posted by: Loudacris | June 17, 2008 8:15 AM