post for 5/16/05

I believe that internet technology does impacts political activity through many forms. For one, politicians can now campaign and make themselves known through networks. When people are contacted through networks, this makes it seem a bit more personal and can make it seem as though a politician really made contact with each individual person they are trying to campaign to. The internet also makes it convenient for political parties to campaign for donations and funding. The ease and convenience the internet provides, may appeal to people, as well as the political party also being able to advertise to more people. And in emergency situations where you need supporters, you can send out a mass alert more quickly with the internet than with other forms communication. Conversely, there can be just as many negative impacts where rumors can spread more quickly, and more in-depth background information of a political candidate can be found than what is just simply stated in news reports. There could be information politicians are trying to withhold from themselves while campaigning, but can be easily revealed through the internet. This can address the whole idea of security which was touched on by the Jones article. What if people hack into the voting system through the internet? That definitely has an impact. And as we are continually moving into a digital age, and voting more through the internet, I believe this creates a new type of voter.