Business, Featured - Written by Don Tapscott on Monday, September 29, 2008 9:05 - 1 Comment

Don Tapscott
Technology and the US election

I’ve written several times about the impact of social networks on this year’s US Presidential election – see here and here. And let’s be honest, the use of such networks and new web 2.0 technologies has been dominated by Obama. He’s embraced social networks like no other candidate in an attempt to connect with young voters and build transparency and a real sense of community action into his candidacy.

Here’s more evidence: Obama’s VoteforChange.com is touted as a non-partisan Web site encouraging people to get out and vote (yes, even though the name of the URL is his campaign slogan). It’s a rather simple program that helps users find out where and when they can vote. But here’s the genius—this kind of transparent, easy-to-use online system is a great way to tap the Net Geners – some of whom might be first time voters with questions as to the process, and others who simply want a more accessible and transparent leader… And who do Net Geners vote for?

In short, the site does three things:

  • It helps young people register to vote regardless of who they are voting for.
  • It’s the first initiative of it’s kind to make an antiquated process more web friendly, and the interface is intuitive and easy to use.
  • It educates young voters about their polling locations and helps then understand and get involved.

Obama isn’t explicitly telling people that he has the best value out there – he’s simply providing a trusted source of information. One more example of how he’s tapping the web 2.0 to show what he’s all about.



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James Tracy
Oct 7, 2008 15:21

Collective Intellegence: I agree, But I would say Google need to become the new Library of Alexandria. A storehouse of knowledge. What has been tried, and the results recorded for future research. I have used google and the internet to further the work I am doing. And would not be here now, if all this knowledge was not so easily perused. Look at my site, and the vids on my pickens plan page. I am looking for backers.

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