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Web politics
Published on July 1, 2008 01:30 PM
by Michael Schrimpf
File Under: Internet Regulation
The impact that the internet has had on Barack Obama's ability/decision to opt out of the presidential public financing system has been examined to the point of near exhaustion. Over the weekend, the New York Times offered an insightful look into another way that the internet has transformed politics.
This phenomen has turned "political activists" into "communications political strategists" and allowed citizens to reach an audience the size of which watches Meet the Press for as little as $50. The cause, of course, is the ability of just about anyone to use inexpensive editing software to produce their own political videos that could be viewed by millions on YouTube and other video sharing sites.
"For years I sat in conversations with people who said the only way we can be effective is we have to raise $1 billion and buy CBS. Well, Google raised a couple of billion and bought YouTube, and it’s here for us, and it’s a huge, huge difference,” observed one online activist.
The internet's ability to amplify the voice of ordinary citizens should merit protection across the political spectrum.
