The Politics of the Internet

The Kevin007 team where  very adapt at making the most of all media during 2007  federal election campaign and at the time I followed him very closely on how they used the internet to make contact with those younger social network  people.

Barack Obama used the social media to get his campaign financed and collect voters by becoming a part of their world. Its is however that the Australian Political parties are still a little confused on how to make the most of what it has to offer.

By visiting Malcolm Turnbulls website you are confronted with a user form to enter your details about getting a news letter from him. I felt it was a little confronting and not expecting to have to log onto the site with personnel details. After studding it for a few minutes I realised that you could skip the process.

The Kevin Rudd web site was similar but not has confronting as Malcolm Turnbull but still offered the registration for getting a news letter from him.

This of course is adoption of the American sell method that may not work as well in Australia. I have noticed on Twitter that the Australians are more lay backed about jamming things down your throat.  There still seems to be a long way for the politician to go  before they understand what Social Media is about but lets not forget they have recognised it.

I do have Kevin Rudd on my Twitter and Facebook. I am member of his facebook and I have him as a Favourite on Youtube.

Barack Obama if very much a friend of the Social network movement and is very out spoken about the openness and the future of freedom on the Internet despite  the push by other members of congress wanting to control the Internet.

We have similar attempts here by Senator Stephen Conroy with the Clean Feed proposal.  Despite all the good advice from industry experts he still insists that it will still go ahead.  Is this political suicide for Senator Steven Conroy as the Social media gains the momentum and the public does not want him to place controls on the Internet?

The scary part is that the rejection of the Alchopop tax this week and a key voter is Steve Fielding the Family First member who wants the clean feed for religious reasons may get the clean feed passed as a deal to get the Alchopop Tax vote. The government has a plan here and you have to wonder why they will bring it back to parliament in the face of a double dissolution.

I think although Australia is very active on the Internet with politics it still will be  awhile where it will influence the out come of elections or even policy. This I believe that the understanding of social media both with the politicians and the Australian public have a long way to go yet to  grasp the concept.    

BuzzNet Tags: Australian Politics,Kevin Rudd,Malcolm Turnbull