Civic Engagement
To what extent have political issues and movements been shifted online, and how are they organized on the Internet?
Online Politicking
Over the past several years, the number of people seeking information about politics via the Internet has gone up significantly. Almost all politicians now accept donations via their websites, which have become increasingly central and vital to politicians' public images, in a similar way to how MySpace artist profiles have become the official fan websites of many bands. Politicians provide crucial information about their platforms and updates for their campaigns online, which is widely accessible by many. Especially for the 2008 presidential elections, candidates are developing Web 2.0 websites with highly interactive features and allow individuals to interact with others as well as the campaign.
Activism
Sources
Election 2006 Online, Lee Rainie and John Horrigan, Pew, 2007
Study Illustrates Role of the Internet in Political Campaigns, The Bivings Group, 2007
Inch by Inch Taking Democracy Online, Tom Zeller, New York Times, 2007
CyberDemocracy: Internet and the Public Sphere, Mark Poster, UC Irvine, 1995