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Web Use In 2008 Campaigns Shatters Records

Posted by samzenpus on from the president-of-the-internet dept.

CWmike writes "Heather Havenstein writes that the increased viewing of online political videos and the use of social networks to gather campaign data and online donations for candidates has fueled use of the Internet in this year's election cycle that is shattering records, according to a study released this week. (Download a PDF of the study.) A record-breaking 46% (compared with 31% in the last cycle) of Americans have used the Internet, e-mail or cell phone text messaging to get news about a campaign or to share their views, according to the "The Internet and the 2008 Election" report compiled by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. So far, according to the report, supporters of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) are using online tools for election matters more often that those of rival Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Obama was an early supporter of Web 2.0 technologies, and that effort appears to be paying off, the study finds."

19 comments

  1. what uh... by Gewalt · · Score: 3, Funny

    What uh... what were they expecting? Web use to decline in the past 4 years?

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  2. Far-out prediction: by Psykosys · · Score: 2, Funny

    That web use in the 2012 campaign shatters records. You heard it here first!

    1. Re:Far-out prediction: by Cyberax · · Score: 1

      But 2016 campaign is smashed by an accident at LHC!

  3. You think that's far-out... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The 2016 election is going to smash those 2012 records.

    1. Re:You think that's far-out... by Walkingshark · · Score: 1

      And then "two tin cans connected with string use smashes all records in 2020" after the stupidization of humanity hits critical mass and there is no one left who knows how to keep everything running.

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      The world you experience is only a close approximation of reality.
  4. Dupe! by khasim · · Score: 3, Funny

    Past articles:

    Telegraph use in campaigns smash records!

    Radio use in campaigns smash records!

    Television use in campaigns smash records!

    Phone use in campaigns smash records!

    1. Re:Dupe! by ILuvRamen · · Score: 2, Interesting

      wait, you forgot one...bullshit use in campaigs smashes records! Seriously, the internet has made is so much easier to turn Hillary into a raging lesbian, coin operated political automoton, Barack into a terrorist muslim, and McCain into crazy grandpa Phil who never knows what he's doing. Well the internet and the news but both are truly powered by sudden outbreaks of common dumb.

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    2. Re:Dupe! by SpaceLifeForm · · Score: 1
      It looks like you just proved your point.

      You should eat a more balanced diet.

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  5. demographics by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "So far, according to the report, supporters of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) are using online tools for election matters more often that those of rival Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz."

    In other words:
    So far, younger people (generally, supporters of Sen Obama) are using online tools more often than older people (generally, supporters of Sen McCain).

    1. Re:demographics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Honestly, though, as a young independent, I lean more to Obama not because I have something against McCain's age, but because I better know Obama's stances on subjects.

      Whenever I try to listen to old-fashion "conservative" medium (i.e. talk radio), All I hear is how Obama is NOT the candidate I should choose. They never take time to inform me about what's so great about McCain (There is at least one positive point, he likes nuclear energy). When I listen to them talk, my brain instantly classify it as partisan drivel (For example, I listen to Sean Hannity's show on my way home from work. It's painful, and doesn't help sway me in the Repulican direction).

      On the other hand, when I read "liberal" websites, I find that I am better informed on what Obama's stance is. Even some of the more "far left" sources I read on the net are more about letting me know how Obama is going to fix this country, than taking easy jabs at McCain.

      I don't know if this is a party issue, or I just happen to frequent more balanced democratic promotion sites... But I just find that the web is doing a lot better job of swaying my vote.

    2. Re:demographics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Obama always tailors his message to the audience he's addressing and uses very particular details, which can give you a somewhat illusory sense of where he stands on various issues.

      For example, when Obama spoke to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (a pro-Israel group), he said that Jerusalem must remain an undivided capital. But after that statement was more widely reported (and criticized by Palestinians), Obama clarified his statement by saying that the status of Jerusalem must remain open to negotiation.

      By contrast, McCain takes the more traditional political approach on this issue by not saying anything about who ought to end up in control of Jerusalem.

      What is McCain's stance on Jerusalem? No one knows. You won't find it on any web site.

      And Obama's stance? Well, you can find loads of interpretations. Republicans (of course) take the uncharitable view that he was caught pandering and executed a 180. Some Democrats say that his first statement was misunderstood, and that he is open to dividing Jerusalem. Some say that his second statement has been interpreted too broadly, and that he strongly favors a single Jerusalem governed by Israel. Some say that he doesn't really have any strong view, and that he simply wants the two groups to work out any solution. Some promote nuanced ideas combining the above opinions in varying degrees.

      Now, McCain hasn't fallen into this trap when it comes to Jerusalem. But both candidates do have the same general problem. Off the top of my head, I can think of apparently-contradictory positions that McCain's given on tax policy, immigration, abortion, and energy policy. But again, much the same goes for Obama.

      My point is: you can get quotes from a candidate on all sorts of issues, but it's not a good predictor of what he or she will actually do. There is no substitute for looking at a candidate's past record.

  6. Really? by psykocrime · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Really? Personally, I find that kinda hard to believe, ya know?

    What's next, using MySpace and LinkedIn to promote political campaigns?

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  7. Web use bla bla lba by iminplaya · · Score: 1

    And yet...All the "significant" candidates are still the same old crooked republicans and democrats with the same presidential cabinet members and bureaucrats over the last forty years. Nothing has changed. Well, ok. The decline has accelerated quite noticeably. Maybe we can blame the internet for that...

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  8. wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So far, according to the report, supporters of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) are using online tools for election matters more often that those of rival Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)

    Talk about going out on a limb!

  9. Two questions by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

    "A record-breaking 46% (compared with 31% in the last cycle) of Americans have used the Internet,"

    How much of that was just people going to YouTube to see the latest insane rant from the local trailer park, or the latest 'Shop job.

    "e-mail or cell phone text messaging to get news about a campaign or to share their views"

    How much of that was opt-in?

    1. Re:Two questions by rewinn · · Score: 1

      How much of that was just people going to YouTube to see the latest insane rant

      No doubt quite a lot, but ... remember "Macaca" Allen? His very narrow race was probably decided by a YouTube of his ranting, and McCain's ranting spread on YouTube isn't gonna help him any.

      Old-style politicians, like McCain, just haven't yet figured out that there's no such thing as privacy in any crowd big enough to have a cellphone. So they still pop off with stuff that used to be "acceptable" and even expected, because it showed that He Was One Of Them. That's a liability now.

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  10. Oh, bah by BattyMan · · Score: 1

    The republicans and the McCain campaign spam me daily, the libertarians weekly, while the democrats (apparently) haven't found my email _yet_.
    So who's more technologically (in)competent?

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