Web 2.0 and the presidential election process

Web 2.0 is becoming an integral part of how we communicate and has been very evident during the current 2008 presidential election campaign. As I take time to think about it, the candidates and their supporters have been using many of the web 2.0 technologies included in our training.

We've seen presidential candidates declare their candidacy via YouTube and raise incredible sums of money thru online fundraising. Candidates have official blogs and social networking site profiles. Analysts are creating mashups with interactive maps that show dollars raised in specific communities. Supporters have wikis and blogs to discuss their views with embedded videos while others are creating their own campaign ads. Many supporters are adding candidates to their list of social network friends indicating their support and in a sense, displaying a new style of “bumper sticker.” Surely one of the most memorable events has been the CNN YouTube debate with the presidential hopefuls fielding questions from a snowman.

Will it make a difference? Perhaps only time will tell but there is no question that we have come a long way since the fire side chat!