USA 2010 elections show limits of Web 2.0 (reality check!)
08:13, 3 November 2010
.. Posted in Communication, Outreach and General Mngmt0 trackbacks
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There is a FANTASTIC article about the realities of using online tools to mobilize people into action, using the elections in the USA yesterday compared to 2008 as an example.
This article examines why online tools played such a HUGE role in getting Democrats elected in 2008, but those same tools, those same networks, those same mailing lists, did NOT garner the same results for Democrats in 2010. As the article says, "Using social networks and online tools to mobilize people was effective only because this sense of euphoria already existed... Now that Obama's in office, he should be more concerned with creatively controlling the overall narrative rather than encouraging users to post buttons on people's Facebook walls.
I am not trying to be political with this blog, not trying to endorse anyone or debunk anyone's political views; I'm sharing this article and blogging about it to point out, once again, that it takes good old-fashioned strategies for online tools, or any outreach tools, to be effective in mobilizing people into action and cultivating supporters. Regardless of your political views, use this as a learning moment, to realize the limits of Web 2.0. This is a reality check regarding online communications and mobilizing supporters using online tools. Also see my blog about a similar article, the revolution will not be tweeted: outsized enthusiasm for social media.
What I wish this article had focused on more was how effective Web 2.0 tools are in promoting misinformation and negative speech, as that played a HUGE role in the elections yesterday, as well as in all political discussions in the USA (one in five Americans, 18%, believe President Obama is a Muslim!). So I'll plug my web page, How to Handle Online Criticism.
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