The web and politics

Each year as technology becomes more advanced, we as individuals learn to rely on it for almost every aspect of our lives. During the past presidential election the simple fact that Obama has a Blackberry had become an issue. Many of the past presidents had not had cell phones themselves, much less held a device in their pockets which held so much personal information. The thought of this information being so out in the open for anyone to have access is a very scary thought. If the wrong person were to steal this device and access the information stored inside or what could be potentially more likely, someone finds a way to hack the information through the web, there could be devastating effects for our country as a whole. Nonetheless, how can we keep the president from experiencing the same conveniences we all experience? If there is an emergency, couldn't it potentially be beneficial for him to have access to those who work with him as well as to the people in the country?

This brings me to my next point; using the web can be beneficial for everyone. Sites such as Twitter can allow candidates running for office to provide their "followers" with up to date information on the on-goings of their elections. I'm personally not a member of Twitter but just a simple Google search of Twitter and politics led me to the Texas Elections Twitter page. On this page there are many short "tweets" with up to date information on who is dropping out, staying in, and even shedding light on some of the fundamental beliefs of each candidate. Whereas before sites such as Twitter, even though people had access to all the information on the web by using their computers or event their phones, these people still had to do the searches themselves and oftentimes read through a lot of information before they are actually able to find what they are looking for. Twitter allows you to become a "follower" of those you are interested in and instead of having to search for information, it comes directly to you from the source in easy to read, short phrases or sentences.

With major debates currently going on for issues such as health care, sites like Facebook can allow a younger generation that may not have really been interested in politics before a place to learn about different issues and can also give these same youngsters a chance to express their own individual beliefs. According to Pewinternet.com 30 percent of people have used sites like Facebook to post some type of information on the web dealing with current political issues. Even though the web and its resources definitely offer some negatives to our tech trendy generation, I feel that there are even more positives. The simple fact alone, that more people are able to participate in discussions and learn about current political events may force those who may have never voted to participate in elections, thus giving way to the voices that haven't been heard before.