What impact will the Internet have on the next general election?

A week or so ago I was on a panel for an event with this title organised by Glasshouse Partnership and the BCS as part of its Savvy Citizens campaign.

The panel also included Elizabeth Sparrow President of the BCS, Jag Singh of Messagespace and former adviser to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Paul Staines author of the Guido Fawkes blog and Labour MP Derek Wyatt. The event was chaired by Michael Cross, a freelance journalist and regular contributor to The Guardian.

The event was very enjoyable and was structured such that the first half was spent responding to a number of questions that were sent to the panellists in advance regarding the use of the internet and social media with respect to politics in the past, present and the future. It was then opened up to the floor for questions.

Some brief highlights for me: I was interested to hear Paul's thoughts on how instant polling is starting to be used and its possible effects on election campaigns. Derek explained how he thinks that he is the first MP to have an app. Although he also thought that a regular weekly 7:00pm radio slot for the PM to "talk to the nation" would be a real ratings winner about which I am dubious! Elizabeth was able to provide the BCS view on the subject and thinks that mobile devices will become more and more integral in the future although she suggested that our innovative use of new technology is as important as the technology itself. Jag made some good contributions and was able to provide insight into how the internet and social media has been used to great effect in the US. As an aside, it was fascinating to realise through discussion with him beforehand that had Clinton's campaign to become the Democratic candidate and ultimately President have succeeded then Jag would likely have been a senior staffer in the White House now. You know, like Josh or CJ from off of The West Wing (that's how I imagined it in my mind anyway)!

There is a video of the entire event below:

Will the internet determine the outcome of the general election?

I am pleased to have been asked to participate in a round-table event with this title next Thursday 11th March starting at 10am hosted by the BCS as part of their "Savvy Citizens" initiative.

Here are the details:

On 11 March 2010 at 10am, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT will host a round-table debate at the BCS headquarters in London, as part of the ongoing Savvy Citizens campaign.

The topic to be debated will be: ‘Will the internet determine the outcome of the next general election?’

The panellists are:

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

Paul Staines, leading political blogger Guido Fawkes

Jag Singh, former advisor to Hillary Clinton; founder of political ad agency MessageSpace

Derek Wyatt, Labour MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey

Mark Thompson, Liberal Democrat blogger at Mark Reckons

Michael Cross, a freelance journalist and regular contributor to The Guardian, will chair the session.

You are invited to watch this live at: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/citizenshippanel

The event will be live-tweeted from the Savvy Citizens Twitter account: @SavvyCitizens

Questions to be put to the panel should be submitted in advance via Twitter @SavvyCitizens or via email savvycitizens@bcs.org or as a comment to this blog post.

I am very much looking forward to the event. As a software engineer (by training) and IT Director in my non-political life I am particularly pleased that the BCS is getting involved in debates like this.