With millions of broadband users around the globe, the suggestion of voting with your mouse or your game-pad is not that bizarre after all. It is a difficult proposition to make the young generation take interest in politics. Such is the situation these days, that youths would prefer voting in reality television shows or online polls than casting a vote for electoral candidates. However, the young love the internet, and more and more politicians are finding it the ideal medium to woo their voters.
It is also evident that Senator Obama’s broadband campaign has been far more effective than that of Senator McCain. The performances of both the candidates in some of the internet’s most popular sites are mentioned below:
• Twitter Followers - For Obama: 117,496, For McCain: 4,961
• Google Search References – For Obama: 206 million, For McCain: 145 million
• YouTube Subscribers - For Obama: 121,186, For McCain: 29,308
• Facebook Supporters - For Obama: 2,498,415, For McCain: 625,711
According to one of Business Week’s articles, which is titled “It Takes Tech to Elect a President”, Obama used the online social networks, and he was assisted by his online supporters to a great extent, who prepared local events to foster his presidential campaign. His own social network facilitated the mobilization of local communities as well. Furthermore, certain politicians, such as UK Conservative leader David Cameron, have made use of broadband video sharing websites to create video blogs to reach out to internet savvy voters.
Progressively, voters are turning away from TV, and they are logging on to the internet for the latest news, views, and reviews from the world of politics. “Your voters can be reached online” seems to be the new political mantra.
Tags: Internet Experience, News