Politics, propaganda and the Net

Back in 1996, when I started writing about the Internet, I was most interested in following the development of the medium as a tool of propaganda. In those days, a handful of young political theorists and consultants started developing the practices we see in campaigns today.

By my best estimate, I have written more than 100 stories on the subject, most of them for The New York Times Web site and newspaper. I've organized links to those stories in the categories below.

Internet campaigning

In the early days, scholars watched the Web for signs that it could compete with television as a tool of persuasion. But campaign managers quickly learned that the value of the medium lay elsewhere.

E-democracy

What is the role of the Internet in a representative government? Can fast online communication improve the dialogue between people and politicians? Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't.

E-government and campaign donors online

Local, state and federal governments have pushed information and services online at a rapid pace. That push is changing people's perceptions of government.

Electronic voting

In the late 1990s, advocates of Internet voting lobbied to get their systems adopted by election officials. Then came the 2000 election and the national focus on the integrity of voting technology. The questions about security raised by the early opponents of e-voting are the same questions that opponents of electronic systems are raising now.