Politics and technology

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Politics and technology encompasses concepts, mechanisms, personalities, efforts, and social movements that include, but are not necessarily limited to, the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICTs). Scholars have begun to explore how internet technologies influence political communication and participation, especially in terms of what is known as the public sphere.

The smartphone is a transformational communication technology that has features that include talk, text messaging, Internet access, electronic mail, faxing, pictures, video, and a wide variety of applications. Mobile devices are one of the important reasons for the rise of political participation[1] and are now portrayed as a voting agent in the least developed countries.[2] Increased availability of mobile phones, and subsequent access to the public sphere, has enhanced individuals' and groups' ability to bring attention to and organize around specialized issues.[3]

More recently, social media has emerged as one of the main platforms for politics. Millions of users can learn about politicians' policies and statements, interact with political leaders, organize, and voice their own opinions on political matters.[4] Political campaigns are also using social media sites to reach voters using political advertising.[5]

There are also a wide variety of online tools that are meant to promote political participation and combat the spread of misinformation.[6] A comparison of civic technology platforms can be useful in differentiating the different services offered by each platform.

  1. ^ Shaul-Cohen, Sara; Lev-On, Azi (2020-01-01). "Smartphones, text messages, and political participation". Mobile Media & Communication. 8 (1): 62–82. doi:10.1177/2050157918822143. ISSN 2050-1579. S2CID 159324157.
  2. ^ Aker, Jenny C.; Collier, Paul; Vicente, Pedro C. (2016-06-08). "Is Information Power? Using Mobile Phones and Free Newspapers during an Election in Mozambique". The Review of Economics and Statistics. 99 (2): 185–200. doi:10.1162/REST_a_00611. hdl:10362/11058. ISSN 0034-6535. S2CID 4497304.
  3. ^ Creeber, Glen. Digital Cultures: [understanding New Media]. Maidenhead: Open Univ., 2009. Print.
  4. ^ Parmelee, John; Bichard, Shannon (2012). Politics and the Twitter revolution : how tweets influence the relationship between political leaders and the public. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. p. 1. ISBN 9780739165010.
  5. ^ "Why political campaigns are flooding Facebook with ad dollars". cnbc. 8 October 2020.
  6. ^ Armstrong, Paul. "How Technology Is Really Going To Change Politics In The Next 20 Years". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-10-29.