The article, Civil Society and Cyber Society: the Role of the Internet in Community Associations and Democratic Politics asks the question, “Does the internet implicate the relationship between civil society and cyber society and online and offline democratic interactions with the political system?” I will attempt to answer this question for my last blog from class readings and additional research that I have conducted.
According to Agre, “political activities on the internet are embedded in larger social processes”, and the internet itself is only one element of media (314). This idea coincides with many other articles I have read, which generally state that the internet tends to reinforce the same social and economic structures of political practices used offline. So, using the internet as a political tool is not necessarily a significant shift or change in the political realm, but rather it acts to complement political communities and activities.
For instance, Barack Obama used the internet to supplement his presidency campaign in the United States of America. By using interactive Web 2.0 tools he advertised to his voters, organized his supporters, fundraised and communicated with his constituents (Miller, 2009). One can find many different YouTube videos from his campaign, which for him, was a source of free advertising. In the New York Times, it stated that, YouTube is “more effective than using advertising on television because viewers choose to watch or receive them from a friend instead of having their television show interrupted” (Miller, 2009). This is notable because only one instrument is used in the process whereas multiple instruments are used for radio or television. One can see that it is advantageous to use the internet in a political campaign or community and that it does indeed connect civil and cyber society.
Should we be concerned about the digital divide if the internet does implicate the online and offline democratic interactions with the political system? I would argue that yes, we should be concerned. The interactivity and community development that is at the core of internet campaigns significantly depends upon access to the vehicle, whether it be the computer, cell phone or blackberry, that is being used to communicate information. Thus, if everybody had access to technology that provided an internet service (and was also techno-literate), there would be no problem to connect with the current information provided on political platforms or whatever the topic may be. The digital divide; however, is an impossible game of catch-up for marginalized groups because as soon as the gap between these individuals and privileged groups lessen, there is a new divergence in the divide. In the political realm, I do believe that the divide will increase stratification in political participation and have several implications. Can you name a few?
Some more interesting links...
1. http://www.youtube.com/user/barackobamadotcom?blend=3&ob=4 (Obama Videos)
2. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/how-obamas-internet-campaign-changed-politics/ (New York Post Article)
3. http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2008/11/05/eight-reasons-the-internet-has-changed-politics-forever (8 Reasons the Internet has Changed Politics Forever)