Last Friday I was interviewed for Radio 4's technology focused programme, Click-On, on the subject of political campaigning on the net. Understandably this discussion is shaped by two events: first, the use of the Internet by Obama during the 2008 U.S. Presidential election; and second the fact that campaigning for the 2010 UK General Election has already started.
In reality, the example of Obama is not the first to get attention on the Internet, and the previous Presidential election also was viewed as a major watershed in political campaigning. During the 2004 Democrat Primaries, Howard Dean went very quickly from nowhere, to frontrunner to nowhere again. His imaginative use of the Internet, masterminded by Joe Trippi to gain funds and mobilise supporters. Trippi, as well as presumably being a fan of Gil Scott Heron , was able to substantially raise Dean's offline profile through the Internet. Yet, ultimately Dean was considered unelectable.
Obama learned the lesons from Dean, and indeed refined them so he generated more resources in terms of money and volunteers, but the key difference was that he was more electable.
The Internet is a communication channel, which in itself is not a magic bullet. The key to Obama's success in using the Internet was that his use of it fitted in very closely with his overall message and approach: namely to open out and reach people and pull them in.
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It also fitted with the social use of SNS, weblogs which has developed a lot since 2004. Obama was where a section of society was, especially the young people he wanted to mobilise. In going beyond asking for donations and creating a network for his supporters he empowered them; they could create their own evetns and buzz and also take ownership of a part of the campaign. This is essentially the same as the way causes work on Facebook - the cause provides the framework but the campaign becomes, as you said in the interview, co-produced. But I do think the important point is recognising not what technology offers but how society is using technology and finding a way of harnessing common behaviours to suit the campaign in a way that offers a win-win zone. It worked for coloured plastic wristbands, but there are more profound behaviours and more profound outcomes.
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