last minute work in Arkansasthis from the Star of Canada, the day's news below
The Obama campaign's use of technology, particularly social networks and the Internet, make Canadian political parties' online activities appear positively primitive by comparison. The campaign's website, which can be individually customized, includes supporter blogs, videos, local events and myriad ways to contribute or participate.
Obama has also emerged as a powerful presence on social networking sites. The official Obama Facebook support page has more than 300,000 supporters. A similar presence has nearly 250,000 MySpace friends, and on YouTube, the Obama channel has been viewed nearly 12 million times.
The cumulative effect of this substantial online presence is to connect with youth
on their terms and in their environment, fostering a new generation of politically active supporters.Not only has Obama actively used technology to campaign, but he has also prioritized technology policy, adopting detailed positions on issues that have been largely ignored by most politicians in the past.
For example, he has promised to support net neutrality legislation, which advocates argue is needed to stop Internet service providers from establishing a two-tier Internet. His technology plan states that "network providers should not be allowed to charge fees to privilege the content or applications of some websites and Internet applications over others." It continues by focusing on several other key Internet issues including strengthening privacy protections in the digital age as well as increasing enforcement actions against spammers, spyware creators and phishing websites.
The same policy also emphasizes access concerns. It promises to update universal access to telephone service and electricity by providing for universal access to high-speed broadband networks. The plan also commits to having government serve as a model for Internet use by improving Internet access to government documents and by appointing a chief technology officer for the U.S. federal government.
Digital copyright concerns have also become part of the campaign, with Obama emphasizing the need for balance, acknowledging that "as policymakers, we are in a constant process of examining our laws to ensure that the protections we place on intellectual property are sufficient to encourage invention without hindering innovation that builds on previous work or unfairly limiting consumers from using the goods they purchase in a way that is fair to creators."
read the rest.
the rest of the day's news:
Obama Closes On Clinton In National PollsU.S. News & World Report
Obama surge heightens Super Tuesday dramaMarketWatch
Battle of Clinton, Obama Surrogates Heats Up in CaliforniaFOXNews
Why I'm Supporting Barack ObamaYahoo! News
US: Indian voters split between Hillary, ObamaNDTV.com - New Delhi,
Feminist leader sides with Obama over ClintonBaltimore Sun
Clinton, Obama Neck And NeckHartford Courant
How Obama using tech to triumphToronto Star
Winfrey to women: Feel free to support ObamaSan Jose Mercury News
Obama's ability to inspire gets under Clintons' skinIndianapolis Star
Why I Canvas For Barack ObamaBy William White
Big Endorsements Come Out For Barack ObamaUSA Today
Celebrities Pitch In for Barack Obama Campaign
Q-Tip endorses Barack Obama, and my thoughts on this ongoing ...
La Opinion Endorses Barack Obama/ John McCainLa Opinión
Google asks obama
