Taking the high road: Blogging for votes: the ethics of internet campaigning

Over the past several years journalists have documented the fact that a number of high profile campaigns have been significantly influenced by the "blogosphere." Many political analysts believe that blogging and online videos are changing the political process in profound, yet not necessarily positive, ways. Politicians are using YouTube, MySpace and Facebook Web sites for everything from recruiting volunteers and spreading their campaign message, to raising millions of dollars of campaign funds, to embarrassing and attempting to discredit their opponents. Not only have political candidates created their own campaign websites, they are now creating profile pages on MySpace and creating video messages forYouTube. In fact, tech-savvy candidates hire young staffers to attempt to coordinate and amplify the activities of bloggers, both verbal and video. In a brave new Internet world, political candidates at all levels of the democratic system are discovering both the benefits and pitfalls of online campaigning.