Erakondade veebid valimiskampaaniates 2005 – 2009
Date
2010
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tartu Ülikool
Abstract
Description
The number of internet users in Estonia has grown significantly over the years. As the usage of internet is widespread and the popularity of e-voting is increasing the political parties are realizing more and more that a part of their electorate is actively using internet and spends much of their time online.
Different companies and organizations have created opportunities for their clients or citizens to communicate with them online. Political parties have done the same. Parties have their own websites, some of them even several sites. Each party who plays a role in e-scene and has enough self respect has information about upcoming election and central issues on their website.
Candidates have their own blogs and in some cases, if the blogger is more active, live discussions are going on in the commentaries. Social networking opportunities useful for campaigning are explored before the elections. Are these opportunities just one-sided or is feedback and participation expected?
The main aim of the thesis „Internet use in election campaigns 2005 – 2009” is to study whether and how the political parties use the opportunities of participatory and deliberative democracy in election campaigns through their websites. The concept of internet as idealistic public sphere describes it as a place where free deliberation leads to perfect discussion and where to realize the opportunities that participatory democracy provides. Participatory and deliberative democracies are main concepts which help to create the theoretical bases as internet is carrying the idea of ideal participation in itself.
Theoretical part of the thesis discusses the importance of internet campaigning and the growing importance of it and whether it helps to raise the quality of the campaign or are possibilities of political marketing used only to catch the attention of internet users as potential voters. The existence of opportunities may not mean that there is conceptual change in campaign quality although the terms “participatory and deliberative democracies” are becoming more and more common among people. Classical marketing mix can help to reach wider target groups. There is a concern that the use of participation opportunities may not serve the set purposes as the opposition party may start to use it for their own goals.
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Participatory democracy is often seen as a solution and a chance to keep the electorate active. Citizens have the opportunity to cooperate. More web environments offer a chance for visitors to create their own content. Here a big opportunity is seen for specific or narrow target groups. Taking all the assumptions into account, not all theorists are convinced by the ideality of the internet and it is pointed out that rapidly developed public sphere does not automatically guarantee democracy. Once again questions arise – what motivates the participant and on which topics would the participant agree to discuss and express opinion?
The changes concerning the development Estonian e-society and the spread of the internet are described briefly as well. Politics can also be perceived as a forum or as a market. Bearing in mind the stages of development of internet democracy, the term of “consumer democracy” is described that is directly linked to political marketing. Consumer democracy means that tailored services are offered to citizens, but at the same time there is no space for discussion or wider deliberation. This is replaced by a relationship which is similar to a market-consumer relationship model. Focusing on a consumer or a client and knowing certain target groups will provide a significant advantage during the elections.
Theorists point out that internet gives an opportunity for participation and political parties have more or less realized that. Optimists hope that ideally the communication between citizen and the state will become easier. Pessimists find that web offers only good opportunities for electronic propaganda. The degree of participation in political websites in Estonian context is very different. Some see it as an obligation, for some it is a great opportunity. Some have chosen a strategy that concentrates on web marketing, but there is a long way to participation. Others also offer possibilities to participate during the campaigns. We assume that we can take over all the positive characteristics of the internet that will improve the campaign substantially. Although it might mean more political commercials and online marketing activities.
The empirical part of this thesis is based on data gathered from monitoring the development of political parties’ websites during 2005 – 2009 (only parties which are present at the Parliament are represented). Eight interviews with e-democracy expert, party representatives as customers administrating their web sites and web marketing expert were conducted.
Estonian parties consider, at least judging from their websites that their potential voter is an internet user. However it seems that internet users profiles and its change in time is taken into account. For example comparing the web sites in the years 2005 – 2007 it is clear that some sites are more static and only most important information is presented in very laconic way. At the same time other part of webs are more attractive and interactive, also more activities are offered to visitor so that they would spend more time on their website.
It is a pleasure to see that websites offer more participation opportunities, even if these are mixed with entertainment and just spending time. Web is changed and most certainly the terms social networking and interactivity have become more important during election campaigns in the short run. It must be admitted that it is also complicated to regulate the web and the upcoming elections will present a real cyber battle of campaigns. Assuming that internet only takes over the possibilities of participatory democracy we would like to address the negative campaigning which is also moving online rapidly. Taking a look at the impact of internet to democracy we cannot yet speak about electronic glut – there is much space to develop further.
Keywords
magistritööd, poliitiline kommunikatsioon, demokraatia, osalusdemokraatia, otsene demokraatia, valimised, parteid, Internet, veebisaidid, e-hääletamine