As the Internet plays a larger role in our lives, the debate continues about how it is changing the landscape of the political arena. Like J.F.K. had the television, Obama had Social Media to aid his victory in the presidential elections.
With the Internet, political figures can reach more people from more levels through means of social media. It is not just people of affluence or influence that can get their views and opinions heard anymore. This means a broader set of voices can be heard, and the Internet gives them a platform to find like-minded individuals and form a community. This way, with more people, they will be able to get their views heard more effectively and it will be more likely to raise the status of some issues.
The Internet can also aid politics by garnering awareness and support, be it financially or physically. The Obama-Biden campaign famously used the Internet and social media to raise funds for their campaign, which helped them a great deal in making Obama the most powerful man in the world. The Internet also gave the Obama-Biden campaign the media coverage they needed by engaging celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Matt Damon. Celebrities naturally attract the attention of the media and public, in turn making politics more mainstream.
Then again, is politics really about who has the fanciest campaign and the most well known supporters? This brings me to my point about how the Internet has caused the glamourising of political involvement. Though mainstream politics has helped make it more easily understood, it also, in a way, degraded politics.
In the case of Sarah Palin and Singapore's very own political joke, Tin Pei Ling, the Internet had a huge role in amplifying a controversy. In the end, such scandals distract many people from the real issues of nations and governance.
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