Are South Africans ready for “Politics 2.0″ ?
Sep 15, 2008 Mobile, Uncategorized
Are South Africans ready for “Politics 2.0″ ?“Politics 2.0″ according to wikipedia is ” the idea that social networking and e-participation technologies will revolutionize our ability to follow, support, and influence political campaigns” and I would like to append that not only the political campain but the politcal process in general”
Unless you have been banished to a far flung Island totally isolated from all media over the last 4 years or so; the name Barak Obama has to sound familiar to you. Depending on the level of media that you may be exposed to, his name (Barak Obama) has become synonymous with the word CHANGE !
That message has been communicated and promised so well that even the means; with which that message is spreading; has changed. For the the change has been social media. The use of social media tools such as blog, shared video (Youtube), instant messaging (Twitter), social networking (Facebook et al) has done much to popularise and spread Obamas election promise.
Visiting websites for the major political parties in South Africa one soon realise that the political parties sit at varying levels of readiness for a robust political campaign that takes advantage of social media. At the most basic level at least they all have a web presence of some kind.
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| ANC | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | 15-Sep-08 |
| DA | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | 15-Sep-08 |
| FFP | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | 15-Sep-08 |
| ID | Y | Y/N | N | N | Y | N | Y | 15-Sep-08 |
| UDM | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | 15-Sep-08 |
| ACDP | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | 15-Sep-08 |
| PAC | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | 15-Sep-08 |
However most lack an RSS feed which to my mind is the most fundamental element required to really give wings to a political opinion published on their websites. I thought it was curious though that among websites visited they all seem to have a representation in one form or the other on Facebook.
No doubt the use of the tools has some significance but how relevant are all these tools in South Africa ?
Broadband penetration in South Africa sit at a low and depressing mark ( around 1% at best estimates source ), This does not compare well with the US at 57 % (source).
We do on the other hand have one of the highest mobile phone to user ratios in the world. This ubiquitous state in my opinion is the most widely ignored means of communication by political representatives. However, looking at the agenda on this years MobileActive08, I am convinced that perhaps some light will be shared towards that “Politics 2.0″ Euphoria I long to see.
Are South Africans ready for “Politics 2.0″ ?Tags: Politics 2.0, web 2.0
September 15th, 2008 at 10:52 am
To answer your question, with another question: does regular Sipho Mkhize with a mobile phone, want/need a political candidate to ’sms’ their ‘motto’ or does he want the candidate to come down and speak in person?
If the answer is the latter — then politics 2.0 does not matter. Don’t get me wrong but I’m sure a lot ‘web2.0-wanna-be-business-strategist yadi-yada’ will convince the parties to broadcast on youtube, get blogs, get active on facebook, twitter, yadi-yada (it will pay a lot of other peoples bills, fa sure) — but my thinking is, just because a technology exists does not mean it is to be used — i suspect radio/television and street lamps have more value than views on youtube.
but then again, who knows, it might be fund to send a reply to @jay-zed on twitter
*shrugs
September 15th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Is there something to be said about the ever growing youth who are increasingly switched off and uninterested in politics ?
Will a blog entry on
/\/\$|-|1|\|1 \/\/4/\/\1 (Mshini Wami in Leet Speak) interest your average first time voter any more efficient than yet another election manifesto at a rally ?
I dont know.
I guess I just want my potential member of parliament work harder for my vote than the lates incarnation of the CODESA or TWALTSA dance, and I want him to reach me for the comfort of my chair, surely that isn’t so ambitous ?
February 4th, 2010 at 2:42 am
That was intriguing . I like your finesse that you put into your work. Please do continue with more like this.
June 4th, 2010 at 12:04 am
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