According to a recent poll conducted by ComputerWorld, about
forty percent of the population believes that people can
increase their political power by going online. Hence, many
academics believe that people in western societies are becoming
more technologically educated in order to gain more influence in
the political sector. For example, Mr. Jeffrey Cole, a director
at the University of Southern California states, "This year, 6%
of regular Internet users said they have their own blogs, 16%
said they post pictures on the Web, and more than 10% maintain
their own web sites. In 2003, 3% of Internet users said they
blogged, 11% posted photos, and less than 9% maintained web
sites."(ComputerWorld, 2005: 1) Thus, the question raised by
many is, "Is the Internet providing a more democratic and
participatory human society for the future?"
Mr. Cole agrees that the Internet plays a pivotal role in
providing a more equitable society that encourages participatory
development. He argues that due to the younger generation having
the ability to effectively communicate through Internet forums,
they are more willing to express their political opinions
online. The younger generation also has the opportunity to
engage in academic discussions with people who are older and
have more experience, such as university lecturers, or people
who specialize in the area of discussion. Hence, the Internet
has clearly demonstrated its use in terms of educating the
younger generation for the future. However, the positive
benefits that can be gained through the use of the Internet not
only extends to young citizens, but has also created an impact
for those who are in the workforce and are keen to learn more
about their nation's political system.
Research has shown that many Americans are 'surfing' on the
Internet before a Federal Election to increase their knowledge
about political parties and their policies. Mr. Cole states,
"The Internet is no longer a marginal force in American politics
- it is quickly becoming the central force in empowering
voters."(ComputerWorld, 2005:1). For example, the success of the
election of former Vermont Governor Howard Dean was mainly due
to the Internet, where online fundraising and lobbying was used
to ensure that people were adequately informed of the parties'
policies.
Hence, due to the power of the Internet, although many would
argue that a person needs a certain level of knowledge and
expertise before they are able to master the Internet and its
search engines effectively, these people also agree that new
software and computer technicians are slowly changing
technological discourse in order to accommodate for people who
may not be as technically inclined. Although it is generally
agreed that the environment of cyberspace and the purpose of
using the Internet is constantly changing to suit the needs of
contemporary society, gaining information about political
parties and their policies still remains a top priority for
Internet users, especially those living in Western society.
Bibliography:
Gross Grant, 2005 'Survey: Internet can help people gain
political power.' (ComputerWorld) [Online]
http://www.computerworld.com/developmenttopics/websitemgmt/story/
0,10801,106909,00.html
Frith Holden, 2005 'Letter reveals US role in web power
struggle.' (Times Online - Technology) [Online]
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9075-1915821,00.html
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