It is becoming clearer that the Internet will be a potent tool in the U.S. presidential election. In 2004 it was still a rather rarified preserve. Now, a new Pew Internet and American Life Project study is demonstrating the extent of the phenomenon.
It suggests that 46 per cent have used the Internet to get information on the campaign. More than one-third have viewed a political video, triple the number four years earlier. About 10 per cent have used social media for information. And six per cent have used the Internet to make a campaign contribution.
What might be the most interesting finding is that 39 per cent used the Internet to gain access to raw materials --- not to use the media as a filter.
