Rainie Discusses the Way the Internet is Changing Politics
By : Will Scullion
Lee Rainie, the director of The Pew Internet and American Life Project, spoke to a group of students from three different American universities on how the Internet is changing the world of politics.
Rainie spoke to students from Pace Unversity, Denver University and George Mason University from the C-Span studios in Washington D.C.
Rainie is the director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project, which conducts research into how the Internet is changing the everyday lives of the American people.
Rainie's most profound observation on the topic of how the Internet is changing politics was on how politicians have to adapt to the fact that anything they do publically can be seen by anyone at anytime online.
"One of the main points people make about the impact of the Internet, is that it puts candidates under a spotlight literally, every second of everyday," Rainie said. "In the age of digital video cameras and digital pictures they are literally, on stage all the time and they need to be aware of that."
Rainie also fielded questions from students from the three universities.
Andrew from Denver asked Rainie about the risks that the Internet poses in relation to how Americans get their political news.
"Thinking the people who were the most technologically competent," Rainie said. "We wondered if they were less and less aware of arguments that opposed their points of view, compared to other citizens. What we found was the exact opposite. The people who have lots of technology and who are most engaged with the politcal process are actually more aware of more arguments both for and against their side."
Rainie also discussed the evolution of the Internet in China and the way that the Internet will continue to change the politcal world in elections to come.
The conference can be viewed here.