INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE TO MILLIONS WITHIN SECONDS
by Contributor
(Jul. 6, 2017) — Ever since the birth of the internet, the way we as humans communicate has changed massively. From talking on the telephone to sending letters and cards, people are now able to chat with someone and see them from across the world instantly. Messages and letters can be sent and received almost instantaneously; it has changed almost every part of our lives.
However, it has also changed how we get our information, even the way we monitor things such as government and elections. Just how much has the internet impacted on how the politicians get their message across to the voters?
Interviews
Interviews with politicians have become more dissected since the internet came along. In the past, the newspapers would report the latest interview and offer an opinion on what the best and worst part was. Now, there is an almost instantaneous wave of opinion and interpretation of what was said. It comes from not only the media but also everyone on Twitter and Facebook.
Many interviews are also recorded now in some way, either by a live video feed or web chat. It puts politicians right in front of their voters and lays them open to any mistakes.
Speed
One of the big changes brought about by the internet is speed. Now, any action, decision or quote can be in people’s news feeds on their mobile phones within minutes or even less. It is this speed that can make life difficult for politicians and their aides because there is no time to prepare a response or clarify a comment.
However, it can sometimes work in politician’s favor, especially if there is an issue about which the people want to hear the views of the political parties. Then, it becomes a race to see who can make a statement the quickest.
Traditional Methods
Although there are still campaigning methods that are done in the same way, such as sending out flyers and visiting local communities, other things have changed. People still create flyer templates for the different parties which is a good way to get the message out to the people. Thousands if not millions would be handed out in the past to anyone who would take them. They are still used today; they are a great way to introduce themselves to their county, and they can write their manifesto.
Versatility
The internet has made things a lot more versatile that previously. You can now speak to people via Twitter and Facebook, or even broadcast live via Periscope. Email has made it easier for a candidate to send out the latest news and policy details to all their voters.
In turn, voters can actively communicate with their candidate through social media and get a response. While this can be a good thing, there have also been many cases where using social media has been more of a mistake.
With technology moving ever forward, there will continue to advance in communication that will affect everything, including the way we deal with politics.