[Air-l] terrorwar and the internet

[Gina Neff]

Hi all, 

Actually, I'd like to disagree that "most of its because of the internet." I've been part of a research project studying the anti-globalization movement and the ways in which the movement has used the internet to organize demonstrations and mobilize participants. We randomly surveyed 1,500 anti-globalization protesters at five protests in three countries. We've found that only a little more than 15% reported hearing about the protest through the internet, compared to over 17% having heard about it through other media (including flyers, handbills, movement literature, etc as well as broadcast and print media). Participants in the anti-globalization protests were over twice as likely to report having heard about the protest from a social movement organization or from their friends and family than from the internet.
 
Arguably, the anti-globalization protests are even more "run" on the internet compared to the peace movement, which has a much longer history of coalitions and cooperation among social movement organizations and church and community groups. Media reports to the contrary, old-fashioned organizing done through social movement organizations still plays a huge role in turning people out to protest, especially, we found, people traveling from out of town to large national and international protests. 

We're doing a follow-up email survey to tease out many of the finer points of political participation and Internet use, and as we get articles out, I'll be sure to keep you all posted.

And a small point about what's getting circulated online: there has been an incredible amount of misinformation spreading on the internet about the war. How many wrong-headed petitions have been circulated by otherwise informed and engaged citizens? One stalwart of the New York left sent me the e-petition that was circulating that said the UN was collecting signatures. He said he believed it because someone he knew had sent it to him. In a very sad way, hoaxes like this one and the "25 members of Congress walked out" hoax reflect how online political engagement is not yet valued as a form of political participation.

Best, 
Gina 
  

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