It’s evident that legislation is outpaced by technology. The questions raised by voter generated content and fundraising efforts from the Obama campaign are critical. Clearly these types of activities aren’t regulated and if lucky, for the next presidential campaign they will. But then once again it will be too late unless new tactics emerge embracing the new technologies.
Technology is a fast changing industry which raises questions as quickly as it meets users demands.  Legislation should also be benefited by these efforts.  I’m envisioning n the near future a bill that will be written through online collaboration (just as a Wikis) as the only possible answer to guarantee both sides dancing at similar beats.  The GOP is already taking steps forward in this direction.

The whole article is very well written.  It reflects how the adoption of new technologies has come with the evolution of new behaviors and mental patterns.  Events such as the clock and the printing press have redefined the model of excellence and human’s traits to survive in the changing environment.  Google has now become a driving force in people’s thinking process, where speed and efficiency have now made us eager consumers of information.    The author argues that in depth, long reading are slowly becoming outdated, and no only for their display but because of the mental processes we are now evoking.
Have a read. One last thing, the article is full of memorable quotes which celebrate professional journalism and make it an enriching reading.  Have a read and tell me your favorite ones, here are three of  mine:

Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski.

That’s the essence of Kubrick’s dark prophecy: as we come to rely on computers to mediate our understanding of the world, it is our own intelligence that flattens into artificial intelligence.

As we are drained of our “inner repertory of dense cultural inheritance,” Foreman concluded, we risk turning into “‘pancake people’—spread wide and thin as we connect with that vast network of information accessed by the mere touch of a button.”

Kotecki reminds me of a chat I once had with PODER Magazine Editor-in-Chief . He said journalists are not obliged to have studied journalism. Instead, its people with the spirit of journalism and with studies in other areas which bring new and refreshing ideas to the industry.  Kotecki’s non-formal credentials taking positions on politics are welcome and this kind of initiative should be encouraged.  The difference between independent journalism, using Web 2.0 power,  and traditional journalism is mainly that individuals don’t have time restrictions or corporate affiliation which constraint and bias conversations.  The birth of new media is the empowerment of individuals and the ability to connect with like minded persons.

PS Going through Koteckis Video Gallery I found this one with almost 18,000 views.
Sometimes happens to me that I look into the past and laugh at myself, thinking What was in my head? Would love to know what was in his…

What they did was go to the Blogspot addresses found on the site of the NoObama coalition called Just Say No Deal and constantly hit the “mark as spam” link so that Google’s Blogger would be flooded with spam warnings. This caused Google/Blogger to freeze the sites marked.
Apparently, this campaign merely took advantage of Google/Blogger’s flawed system of finding spam blogs.

The delicate issue is that entries are already pointing to the campaign as responsibles…

Here is a video showing the man taking on youtube era and republicans….

This link shows a voter’s analysis of the power of media. Using Google Trends he points to inconsistencies between digital participation and media coverage. Although the guy is boring and the delivery is dull, the point he makes is extremely meaningful. Statistics, facts and interpretation are part of the political mix.

Ballot.org

This link is a great initiative created by voters for voters to guide them through the sometimes confusing action of voting.  All users are provided with information on their local area on how to vote and members are encouraged to sign in for updates and encouraged to generate more relevant content. Comes with an easy guide on how to make a Voter Guide.

Tech President and Jewish Community

This youtube video is a good example of how voter generated content is increasingly becoming a source of non-biased news.  As the blogger mentions it, the NYT coverage of this event is different from what the video shows.  Religion is always a very sensitive subject and needs objective coverage to avoid misinterpretations.

Bling- Bling

This link is a funny and original example of how voters use trends and non-traditional  tactics to reach different audiences. It builds upon the bumper sticker to deliver a digital stamp for Obama supporters.

To use this image, click in the text box above to highlight the codes, copy the codes to your clipboard, then paste them into your profile or blog, or the MySpace Comment screen.

Overall, Voter Generatd Content empowers individuals to raise questions, have a closer understanding of the candidates and create original ideas to support specific goals.  Is a new tool that makes politicians more accountable for their words, promises and actions.  It is a two way conversation where individuals are exercising the importance of their vote.  At the end, every single  initiative aimed at sharing personal positions enriches the debate.  Intelligent discussions will prevail and the weak arguments will be left behind.

PS: From these examples there is still a bitter taste of the media’s bias and their influence on public opinion.