Facebook and Myspace: the new political weaponry
The possibilities of using sites such as Facebook and MySpace as political tools have only recently been realised. With each attracting over 20 million regular users, and a system that allows voters to be targeted individually as ‘friends’, campaigning through social networks is increasingly important for reaching young people.
The shrewdest users of online networks so far have been the 2008 US Presidential hopefuls, who are using the sites to reach a vast, diverse and notoriously incohesive American population.
Democratic candidate Barack Obama is at the fore of this campaigning method: with 154,795 Facebook friends and regularly updated statuses, his ‘wall’ is filled with tributes from supporters and is linked to the group ‘One Million Strong for Barack’, which attracted 278,000 members within a month of being created. “I’m making Paris Hilton look like a recluse”, said the Senator of his online exposure.
There are few US election contenders that have not yet grasped this opportunity. Republican Rudy Giuliani has a MySpace page that allows donations to be given directly to his campaign, and Mormon Republican Mitt Romney charms visitors with an Elvis tune.
But for every compliment, there is an equally passionate attack. The divisive Hilary Clinton provokes the most hostile reaction. 1,035 Facebook members promise to move to Australia if she is elected President, while 1,757 would prefer to vote for a trained chimpanzee.
Republican Senator John McCain faced problems in March this year when his MySpace page was hacked by his own software designer. An apparently genuine letter accompanied by McCain’s picture appeared, stating ‘Dear Supporters, Today I announce that I have reversed my position and come out in full support of gay marriage…particularly marriage between two passionate females.’
UK politicians are warier of the sites. David Cameron and Gordon Brown do not officially have profiles, but Boris Johnson’s ‘Appreciation Society’ boasts 17,000 members. There certainly is a conversation going on, even if it is entitled ‘David Cameron is a hottie’ (736 members).
