The Internet - Bringing Us Together or Pulling Us Apart?
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Recent surveys confirm the growing role the Internet plays as a source of information about candidates and issues and as a tool contributing to the resurgence of grassroots activity in campaigns.
But the jury is out on whether online media and social networking are just another part of the partisan media echo chamber where people seek out only information and contacts that reinforce what they already believe—or whether the potential of these new ways people share and get information can be harnessed for a true, national conversation about the big challenges ahead.
According to a recent report released by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 1-in-4 adults received most of their news about the 2010 elections from the internet, a more than 300% increase since the 2002 campaign. And more than half of U.S. adults were online political users in 2010—either getting news or information about the mid-term elections or getting involved in a specific campaign.
However, a plurality of online users of information now seek out news that shares their political views—as opposed to neutral news or information that challenge their views. Liberals go to sources like The Huffington Post or The Daily Beast, while conservatives check out Drudge Report or BreitbartNewsWire—now famous for unveiling the Anthony Weiner photos. This is in some ways similar to cable television—where an overwhelming majority of MSNBC viewers give President Obama high approval ratings, while most Fox viewers strongly oppose him.
Facebook making partisanship worse
The impact of our understandable tendency to get information from people with whom we agree, combined with its accessibility through partisan cable news and Internet options, is one cause of today’s partisan and polarized political environment. Further, the ability to reach out through Facebook, Twitter or e-mail to like-minded people is a tremendous and positive tool creating more citizen engagement and participation in campaigns, but it also reinforces these polarizing trends.
The challenge is to figure out how to use these new tools to move people out of their comfort zones so that they sample a broad, cross-section of opinions as well as engage people with whom they may disagree. Only then will we begin to have the national conversation we need on big problems, such as achieving energy independence, competing in the tough new global economy, or addressing our long-term fiscal situation.
Perhaps one of the Internet start-ups here in Providence can adapt these tools to foster the bottom-up conversation essential to coming together as Americans and reaching some common ground.
If you valued this article, please LIKE GoLocalProv.com on Facebook by clicking HERE.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
Rob Horowitz is a strategic and communications consultant who provides general consulting, public relations, direct mail services and polling for national and state issue organizations, various non-profits and elected officials and candidates. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island.
Related Articles
- Democrats - We Can’t Party Like It’s 1996
- Public Sides with Unions over Wisconsin Governor
- Reed’s Bill a Home Run for Unemployed, Businesses, and the State
