The Impact of the Internet on Political Campaigns and Elections - Term Paper Example

The internet has become one of the most popular sources for campaigning during elections and the most popular communication channel. Most of the political parties take the help of the mainstream social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter as well as MySpace to connect to the people and convert them. Electoral candidates gather their supporters from the internet. The candidates often share information and ask for feedback through emails (Kluver, 97). This enables them to come in touch with their supporters instantaneously.

In the past elections, instances have been there where President Obama has communicated to his supporters through personalized emails. Research has proved that internet had been the level playing field and a major platform for the competition between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney before the last Presidential Elections and both of the candidates had spent more than a billion dollar on this. Digital Advertising had been a growing area where even the political parties are investing in. The parties also mimicked the popular social networking sites like Facebook, Amazon, Twitter, and YouTube and have been successful in getting leads for any kind of fundraising programme or acquiring the votes of the supporters and converting the non-supporters.

These networking sites enable the parties to target each community and spread messages to specific demographic segments and thereby addressing specific needs. The funds that the parties require for successfully carrying out of the operations can be collected from the followers of these networking sites and also enables people to feel connected to the person whom they want to vote as would be President. But such funds are only donated by a certain section of the society who is wealthy and educated (Chadwick and Howard, 145).

Thus people have more involvement in the election process. A survey revealed that 80% of the information flow related to the elections took place on the internet. Like the other daily chores that the common people undertake on the internet like banking and shopping, the information exchange is also taking place on the internet. Campaign on the internet also turns out to be a cost-effective one because the costs of advertising on the television and buying air time are costly (Bimber and Davis, 8).

The main motive for the political party is to stand out from its rivals.