The Internet, the Media and the Future of Democracy

Sitra JEF-Europe seminar “Fixing a hole –Closing a Gap in Democracy”, 22nd October 2011

Taneli Heikka

The power of setting a political agenda has shifted from the mainstream media & old political parties to digitally organized

and driven ad-hoc movements.

• Three ways in which digital grassroots movements bybass the mainstream media and political parties as agenda setters

1. Changing the rhetorical culture

First come the bloggers…

…then the little boys…

…and the big girls in mainstream media…

and finally, come the election results.

2. Affecting the ambience echo

chamber

Not only in the US they can…

NotonlyintheyUStheycan…NotonlyintheyUStheycan…

…but in Finland too, in times of trouble…

…look at the bright side of life (enter the bloggers)

…and the enterpreneurial tweeters: Actually, we’re awesome!

Let’s look at it this way! Awesome!

And finally, politicians and mainstream media pick up on the changed ambience.

3. Super-charging the political organization

A political organization 2.0

#ows – a political organization 2.0

Q’s and conclusions

• All new and relevant political ideas are digitally native

• ”Is web2.0 relevant to politics” is not the question – that has been answered several years ago

• But the interesting things on the Web are done by others than the established political players

• ”Old parties’”ideological development has dried out along with their incapability to adopt to the new communication environment

• Parties & media were moderators in the political agenda setting and implementing process

• Those filters are increasingly being bypassed

• Who are the moderators now?

• The Internet does not, for now, provide a platform for negotiation and deliberation between extremes

• Does the Parliament remain as the only such functioning institution?

• Does the Internet as it now is actually work towards a shattered society where decision making is increasingly difficult?

• If so, should we make every effort to build tools and develop practices for decision making on the internet?

“Our parents are grateful because they’re voting. We’re the first generation to say

that voting is worthless.”Marta Solanas, 27, Spain (New York Times)

Teksti

PhotobyPaulWeiskel.

Photo by Paul Weiskel.

The parties and media are no more

there to stop us doing what the

internet enables us to do. Let’s choose

wisely what we decide to do.

Photo by churchofpunk.

• taneli.heikka@gmail.com

• http://avajaopen.fi