My children will never fully understand what a life changing experience the
Internet has had on our society because they do not know life without it. The impact of
the Internet is far greater than any other communicative tool in the history of mass
communications. While doing my research I did find some experts who believed that
other inventions were more important than the Internet as these inventions led to the
development of the Internet. While this is certainly true that these early inventions may
have been important the Internet has a far greater impact on U.S. society due to its
versatility and ability to function in many aspects of our everyday lives.
Which other
invention in the last century allows us to email, instant message, research an automobile
, access a library, blog, purchase or sell stock, buy airline tickets, book a hotel and see the
world without even leaving our chairs?
In Tech'sExperts Predict Future / We May Become Pets of
Robots, Pew survey Says; Lee(2006) shares that the Internet has
dramatically reshaped the way people interact, as more and more people connect
to high-speed Internet services. Nowadays, Internet users can use instant
messages to connect with a customer service representative, or buy, sell and rent
virtual homes in online worlds.
Therefore, selecting the internet as my choice for the communications
tool with the greatest impact in the United States was not a difficult decision. The
Internet is an important part of most Americans' lives. In The Chronicle of Higher
Education Cole(2004) reports that over 70 percent of Americans use the Internet at least
once a month, and the average user is online for nearly 12 hours a week.
The Internet has changed the way we communicate, do research, shop and interact
far beyond the borders of our country. The Internet is truly a global link and a profound
tool of immense proportions. The Internet has changed the way we conduct politics, earn
money and participate in our social groups and cultures. No other form of mass
communications share in this distinction.
.
. In this paper I will show how the Internet is the most important communicative
invention since the printing press. I will show how the internet intertwines political
economic and social communities. Finally I will discuss the potential of the Internet in
the future.
Political:
The Internet, like television before it, has a great impact on the politics and
political system in our country. When Americans want information about an upcoming
election they often use the Internet to help them make voting decisions.
.In Reports E-Gov and E-Policy 2006 Election Horrigan & Raine (2007)
provide statistics that twice as many Americans used the Internet as their primary
The Internet 4
source of news about the 2006 campaign compared with the most recent mid-
term election in 2002.
The advent of the Internet has had a tremendous effect on how political
campaigns are structured. Both parties are taking advantage of blogs, email, raising
money with text messaging and communicating with potential contributors through
email. The Internet is proving to be a faster and cheaper way for political parties to view
what the masses find important. Candidates then can plan a political platform from that
information and communicate that platform to the American people. In Politics Face Sweeping Changes Via the Internet Nagourney (2006) writes
that the transformation of American politics by the Internet is accelerating with
the approach of the 2006 Congressional and 2008 White House elections,
prompting the rewriting of rules of advertising, fund-raising, mobilizing
supporters and even the spreading of negative information. Democrats and
Republicans are sharply increasing their use of e-mail, interactive Web sites,
candidate and party blogs, and text-messaging to raise money, organize get-out-
the-vote efforts and assemble crowds for rallies. The Internet, appears to be far more efficient, and less costly, than the traditional tools of politics.
Websites such as Facebook, MySpace and Friendster are being used as well to
reach the voters of America. On these sites, political allies find linkage and common
issues.
Nagourey (2006), states that campaigns are now studying popular Internet social
networks, like Friendster and Facebook, as ways of reaching groups of potential
supporters with similar political views or cultural interests.
Politicians need to get their message out to the public and to also get the voters to
the polls.
The Internet is a powerful way to sway voters toward one candidate or
isssue. Nagourney (2006), calls the internet the “holy grail”
that political organizers believe can persuade voters toward their candidate.
The Internet most certainly will be an ominous political presence in the future.
We however, need to recognize as voters that everything we read on a website
is not always accurate. The Internet like all other dynamics of mass
communications can also spread untruths. As Americans searching for the best
candidate for our vote, we must research the issues and candidates on our ballots
Internet 6
carefully. The Internet will continue to be a powerful force in American politics for a
long time. But like all forms of information found in magazines, newspapers, television
and, radio we must educate ourselves as American voters and not be swayed by the mass
communications political persuasion. Narourney (2006) cautions that
as American voters it is our responsibility to separate the truth from the “spin” and
make decisions based on our own judgement and values-not on what the latest blog is
telling us.
