the internet and politics political science i. copyright © texas education agency 2013. all rights...

The Internet and PoliticsPolitical Science I

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What are the key features of the Internet?

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Key Features

• Widespread Audience• 75.6% of American households have a computer

(US Census Bureau, 2011)• 71.7% of American households use the Internet at

home (US Census Bureau, 2011)

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Key Features (continued)

• Interactivity• Traditional media are unidirectional, unlike the

Internet, which supports interactive communication

• The interactivity allows for quick and easy assimilation and organization of groups of people with similar interests

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Key Features (continued)

• Global Scope• The Internet is viewed and utilized worldwide• Its global nature ensures a wide range of diverse

information and opinions• Its lack of ownership presents legal challenges

regarding which national law it should follow

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What are the ways that the Internet is useful for politics?

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Political Websites

• There are thousands of political websites on the Internet• Governmental (e.g. government agencies, Congress,

political parties, universities, interest groups)• Non-governmental (e.g. major newspapers,

newsmagazines, television and radio networks)• Partisan – offer information only from their political

parties’ perspectives• Non-partisan – offer information from more than one

perspective

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Political Websites (continued)

• It is the user’s responsibility to evaluate critically the website in order to determine its reliability, accuracy, and currency

• Reputable websites state the• Name of the owner and manager• Date of the most recent revision

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Tracking Legislation

• Congress.gov (http://beta.congress.gov/)• Allows users to search for House and Senate bills• Lists contact information for members of Congress

• The Library of Congress (http://www.gpo.gov/) • Provides a summary of the current congressional

session’s daily activities • Is a database for reports filed by congressional

committees• Is co-hosted by the Government Printing Office

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Electronic Mailing Lists

• Are automated email notifications that provide subscribers with current information about the topic of interest, such as civil liberties or gun control

• May be found by • Conducting an Internet search of the following key

terms• Political listservs• Political discussion groups

• Visiting the websites of the national offices of the major political parties

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E-Government

• Is provided by all levels of government• Includes government-operated websites that

provide information and services such as• Pay parking tickets• Get forms for marriage licenses• Register to vote

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E-Government (continued)

• Two examples are• Office of E-Government and Information Technology (

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/e-gov)• Was established by the 2002 E-Government Act• Helps federal agencies coordinate and improve online service

for the public

• The federal government’s official website (www.usa.gov)• Provides access to a wide variety of governmental information• Provides links to information about all 50 states• Provides convenient ways to contact local, state, and federal

representatives

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What is the Internet’s impact on the political participation of US citizens?

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The Internet’s Impact

• Communicating with officials• Email is the most widely used Internet tool to

communicate with officials• Congress receives more than one million emails a

day (Remy, 2010)

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The Internet’s Impact (continued)

• Action Alerts and Petitions• Action alert – a message from an interest group to

its members that calls for a specific and immediate response (e.g. contact your congressman)

• Electronic petition – a mass message that asks for electronic signatures on a request to an official

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The Internet’s Impact (continued)

• Grassroots Websites• Are created by individuals supporting their

political candidates or beliefs• Can cause problems for political parties by

creating• Misinformation• Unwanted associations with extremists• Confusion about whether the website is official

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The Internet’s Impact (continued)

• Volunteering Opportunities• Are listed on political websites• Are available face-to-face or online

• Political Blogs• Are online personal journals that people and groups

can use to participate politically• Are widely used• May be owned and read by anyone• Remain largely a tool of the elites with journalistic

credentials

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The Internet’s Impact (continued)

• Electronic Voting• The 2002 Help America Vote Act • Required states to replace old voting methods (e.g.

punch cards)• Inspired some states and the Department of Defense to

experiment with e-voting

• Supporters focus on the ease and efficiency• Opponents focus on the potential for sabotage,

vote stealing, and a lack of hard evidence

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What are the legal challenges of the Internet?

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Offensive Content

• The lack of government regulation allows anyone to post their ideas and opinions, creative or obscene

• Some important legislation includes• Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union (1997) – the Supreme

Court ruled that the First Amendment guarantees freedom of expression on the Internet

• Children’s Internet Protection Act (2000) – requires public libraries that receive federal funds to install anti-pornography filters

• United States v. American Library Association (2003) – the Supreme Court ruled that the law’s filter requirement does not violate library users’ First Amendment rights

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Taxing E-Commerce

• E-commerce has increased with the frequency of Internet use

• States want to tax online sales but cannot because of cumbersome state tax laws

• A group of states supports a plan to use a single tax rate for all online sales, but technology companies, online retailers, and Congress are resistant

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Resources

• McClenaghan, W. A. (2009). Magruder's American Government, Pearson.

• Remy, Ph.D., R. C. (2010), United States Government: Democracy in Action, Glencoe McGraw-Hill.

• Wilson, J. Q., Dilulio Jr., J. J., and Bose, M. (2011). American Government Institutions and Policies, Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

• US Census Bureau http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p20-569.pdf

• Office of E-Government and Information Technology http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/e-gov

• http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/daily_videos/turkish-teen-talks-about-circumventing-his-countrys-twitter-block/