The Impact of Web-Based Communication on Public Attitudes and Political Policy Making

The Impact Of Web-Based Communication On Public Attitudes And Political Policy Making The internet is a powerful medium. It is not just a source of information, but can also be an important platform for fundraising, civic action, and many others. Today, the internet is playing a larger role in governance as more political leaders go online to collaborate and consult with their citizenry. While the internet is believed to be instrumental for the President Barack Obama’s election to office, the nationalization of the Arab Spring and the internationalization of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, a number of researchers are still asking: how exactly does the web-based communication affect public attitudes and political policy making and how can be utilized more effectively? In a 2012 study published in Nature (Bond et al.) which focused on the capacity of Facebook to alter voter behavior, it was discovered strong ties, real connections with online friends had a drastic effect on online mobilization. The study discovered that as friends of an individual signified that they have voted, the individual tended to be more willing to vote themselves. The study concluded: “Online political mobilization works. It induces political olitical self-expression, but it also induces information gathering and real, validated voter turnout” (Bond et al. 37). One must realize, however, that Facebook is just one of the many web-based communication tools available today. Internet users can utilize emails, Twitter, blogs and even news media to communicate their political positions and affect general opinion. Henry Farrell in his study entitled The Consequences of the Internet for Politics shows that the relationship between new technologies and political outcomes is not simple, but it is clear that it has the capacity to lower transaction costs and enable citizens to express their opinions publicly (Farrell 39), as well as gather support for their sentiments. In essence, this capability of the internet to promote homophily is an important precursor to various kinds of collective action among citizens. From this alone, one can already see a shift in th...