Web Use In 2008 Campaigns Shatters Records

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."

Comments

Re:demographics

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

Really?

[psykocrime]

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

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

Re:Dupe!

[ILuvRamen]

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.