Okay, I think I know the answer: yes, the internet is an important campaign tool, and can be used to great effect...just look at WikiLeaks. Yet it is also limited.
The internet has two main downsides: one, it is ephemeral. As I discovered when I complained to the BBC about their treatment of Jody McIntyre, the cerebral palsy sufferer who was dragged from his wheelchair by a police officer, the internet can, and does, forget. The BBC said they would email me a copy of my complaint. Just in case, I bookmarked the summary page. No email confirmation. Went to my bookmark...redirected to empty complaints home page. No record held by me. The BBC are now refusing to make known how many complaints have been received about this atrocious interview. It is likely, and I may be wrong, that apart from a blog post by the editor, no formal action will be taken. But then, according to the internet, I never made a complaint!
Second, it distracts from the more traditional methods of political engagement. I and many others can write, some better than others. But to actively engage in traditional methods, such as when I met with the candidate for MP in my constituency, or the old-fashioned meeting (I remember my first political meetings with Friends of the Earth..rather uninspiring, but I guess some are better than others!), can be infinitely better than staring at a glowing screen.
But it remains a useful tool, especially for those who have, for whatever reason (except for internet addiction, that is), difficulty meeting face-to-face.
What are your views?
