The Twitterati:Online Social Networks and Elected Officials :The Twitterati:Online Social Networks and Elected Officials Rebecca Kleinhaut LIS 60002 Illus. By Ed Wexler


Topics :Topics Brief history of social media The “Millennial Generation” “Netroots” Current uses of social media Future of social media


Early Forms of Social Media :Early Forms of Social Media Different technology has always been utilized for political communication. Radio “eliminated the need for any middleman” (Morley Winograd & Michael D. Hais). Example: Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats


Television: Kennedy/Nixon Debates, 1960 :Television: Kennedy/Nixon Debates, 1960 First televised debate 70 million viewers “Telegenic” JFK appears fresh-faced next to Nixon, who had just spent time in the hospital. (Winograd and Hayes)


Advertising is Money :Advertising is Money Two most important vehicles for inexpensive advertising: Mass mailing Press release Political reporting is “more complete” in newspapers than other forms of media. (Gary Woodward)


The Communication Divide: :The Communication Divide: People on television cannot hear you! -------> ------->


The “Millennials” :The “Millennials” Born between 1982 and 2003 Comfortable with accessing the Internet Pew Internet & American Life Project, Adults and Social Network Websites, Dec 2008


“Netroots” :“Netroots” Coined during the 2004 presidential race by Howard Dean’s campaign managers. Began Blog for America, www.democracyforamerica.com


Netroots in 2008 :Netroots in 2008 55% of the adult population used the Internet to get involved politically. They were mostly those who are classified as “The Millenials.”


Transcending the Crowd :Transcending the Crowd “Members portrayed as individuals generally escape the dulling effects of an essentially anonymous body.” (Gary Woodward)


Politicians on Twitter :Politicians on Twitter 119 Republicans 60 Democrats One Independent John McCain has the most followed Twitter page. http://tweetcongress.org


What are they posting? :What are they posting? “self-serving” “status updates that chronicle the pol’s latest trip to the sawmill” http://www.twitter.com/barbara_boxer http://www.twitter.com/Repshimkus


P2P and Transparency :P2P and Transparency Social networks “are not organized according to hierarchical methods of command and control.” (Michael Bauwens) http://www.twitter.com/KeithEllison http://www.twitter.com/JohnCulberson


Legal Issues :Legal Issues Limitations on advertising expenditures Updates to the Franking Commission “Twitter Jacking” Screenshot courtesy of http://techpresident.com/blog-entry/how-rep-dean-heller-r-nv-got-pwned-twitter


Use of Smart Phones While in Session :Use of Smart Phones While in Session The Sunlight Foundation Currently calling for looser restrictions on allowing Congress members to provide real-time access while they are in session. ---------- > 9/9/09: Obama’s address on healthcare reform


The Future of “The Twitterati” :The Future of “The Twitterati” The Millennial generation will be looking for more substance and less advertisements. “[Currently] it is misleading to claim that online deliberation and online mobilization practices have really deepened democracy.” (Lim and Kann) The number of constituents outweigh the number of politicians utilizing social networking tools. Politicians must learn to listen in order to properly utilize social networking technology.


Slide 17:Additional Sources 1. de Vise, Daniel. “Tweeting Their Own Horns: Study Finds Posts by Lawmakers Boastful or Boring.” Washington Post 20 Sep. 2009, regional ed.: A13 LexisNexis. Web. 21 Sep. 2009. 2. Lester, Lani and Amy Harris. “Twitter Looks to Lock Down Account Names.” Politics (Campaigns & Elections) Jul 2007. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Sep. 2009. 3. Lim, Merlyna and Mark E. Kann. “Politics: Deliberation, Mobilization, and Networked Practices of Agitation.” Kazys 77-107. Print. 4. Varnelis, Kazys, ed. Networked Publics. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2008. 5. Varnelis, Kazys and Anne Friedberg. “Place: The Networking of Public Space.” Kazys 15-42. Print. 6. Williams, Alex. “At Meetings, It’s Mind Your BlackBerry or Mind Your Manners.” New York Times 22 Jun. 2009, late ed.: A01 LexisNexis. Web. 21 Sep. 2009. 7. Winograd, Morley and Michael D. Hais. Millennial Makeover: MySpace, YouTube, and the Future of American Politics. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2008. 8. Woodward, Gary C. Perspectives on American Political Media. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1997.