This election season has seen the leading Presidential candidates adopt the tools of new media at encouraging — even exciting — rates. The key to what makes this round different from previous cycles is new media in general and social networking in particular empower all people, not just the pros. So even where a candidate affirmatively takes action, his/her supporters can go miles beyond. Ron Paul’s supporters have been Exhibit A in this case, but as the campaign season marches on, we see more and more examples of the virtuous cycle social networks facilitate.

The latest example is exceptional. Senator Obama’s campaign created a place on MySpace for his Washington state supporters to show their support and organize for the caucuses. Those efforts led to several young people not only participating in the process, but getting themselves elected precinct delegates, and then telling stories of their efforts back on MySpace. (more…)

Posted in Election 2008, Election Reform, MySpace/MTV | 1 Comment »