What are Web 2.0's effects on American politics?

August 11, 2007 8:18 PM

I always hear that blogging and YouTube are (and/or will be) revolutionary in American politics. Is this true? How so? Can you recommend recent books, academic articles, extended blog posts and other media that demonstrate (or argue against) the effects of blogging, citizen journalism, social networking web sites and YouTube on American politics? Differing viewpoints would be appreciated!
posted by eswusp86 to technology (8 comments total)

For an unabashedly pro-blogging, pro-citizen-participation-in-politics POV, you must check out Crashing the Gates by DailyKos's Markos Moulitsas and MyDD's Jerome Armstrong. They know whereof they speak.
posted by Bromius at 8:23 PM on August 11, 2007

What really put YouTube & the web on the map was ""Macaca". In response GOP issues rules to avoid Macaca moments.

Somewhere I read a long article about how Webb's team was ready to take hold of such an opportunity and carefully sent out info through YouTube and the blogosphere so than when it the MSM picked it up it became a sledghammer that crushed Webb.

I can't find that article now.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 8:45 PM on August 11, 2007

crushed Webb Allen.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 8:47 PM on August 11, 2007

Did you see the CNN/YouTube debates? The link is to part 1/19, that user uploaded all 19 so they're not hard to find.
posted by saraswati at 10:51 PM on August 11, 2007

"An Army of Davids" by Glenn Reynolds (aka "Instapundit").
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 11:25 PM on August 11, 2007

If you think it's fun now, wait until today's college students become tomorrow's candidates.
posted by oaf at 9:54 AM on August 12, 2007

Seconding DailyKos' Markos - I'm sure he has some fantastic perspectives. Also check out any poli sci and technology sites, and sites like moveon.org - not sure if you can narrow it down to Web 2.0 or not (rather than 'just' blogging and YouTube) so much as people's interest to take political dialogue to the Web.
posted by rmm at 1:53 PM on August 12, 2007

This is touched on briefly at the end of Al Gore's book the Attack on Reason.
posted by chunking express at 7:32 AM on August 14, 2007