Do things like Yahoo Answers, blogs, forums and chatrooms have an impact on politics?

One of the best advertising writers in probably the world's most influential advertising job got fired after he made a joke about women. He said he had been "blogged to death".





Do you think blogs and the like have an impact on society, especially politics? I read about 4 different blogs? Do you read any?

Do things like Yahoo Answers, blogs, forums and chatrooms have an impact on politics?
Blogs and such definitely have an impact on politics as well as other social norms. I suspect there are two primary reasons for this:





1. Blogs can often unearth and call attention to things that the "mainstream" media overlook or ignore.





2. Blogs, and especially forums, can consolidate support for issues, providing a bond for people who are concerned about a specific issue but who had no idea if there were others who feel the same way about it.





I see both of these as very useful functions for promoting two of my favorite things: democracy and freedom of expression.
Reply:Yes blogs do bring bout a change..as they display everybody's opinion as a whole and can really change some sensitive and adament issues in the society . if the people are really contributing to the blog and raising a specific topic with everybody's opinion in it..they can really bring about a change
Reply:Somewhat, I'd hope.


But, which politics or policy it would had impact on ?
Reply:I have to say that they do have a tremendous impact on almost every aspect in our society.





Politicians started to pay attention to them, the media is trying to tap into them. So many people get their daily news from the Internet and many more post their views, diaries, and debate over these platforms.





The power of the Internet is only gaining momentum and revolutionizing the world as we know it.
Reply:no
Reply:Please look up my question " Lebanese residents answer your questions"... The possibilities are anormous... only we are too sluggish!!!





This is what a blog can do:





http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5...
Reply:They have no impact.
Reply:Once you go through the answers, blags, forums and chat rooms they are some people do them for time pass, some do the seriously, some do only on the topics of interest.


Just only sharing and thinking of ideas makes people different . So they do have the impact on politics
Reply:if bush and harper will read they might have
Reply:very little i think;.
Reply:Yes, majority of uSA people more feared with rumours on internet since George Bush more rely on information on internet example how to detect Al Qaeda.


The news is filled with bullshit.
Reply:I doubt it.
Reply:I cant see it myself,after all elections don't appear to make a difference to politics
Reply:There are quiet a few that I read...be it a friends blog or just some random person I found lookin through info on the net.


I don't think any blogs really have much of an impact on society unless they are getting like at least a few thousand hits a day. most blogs are only read by friends of the blogger...and not a huge following, so i dont' see that impactin much but just within their own realm.


Though that is quiet sad that someone was fired over something said in a forum that is not work related, infact...that shouldn't be legal!
Reply:No. Money does. Aren't you the Twinkie boy???
Reply:yes, right now to som extent. but i guess it wud reach heights shortly, for we are tech-humans
Reply:I think there is less impact on it. The main reason why this is because, yahoo is not putting any advertisement about the yahoo answers over other visual medias. Giving publicity to the yahoo answers on bbc or any such other medias will create more impact to the society.
Reply:They are definitely better than corporate owned media that has currently enslaved us... there can be crazy blogs... fun blogs... seriously political blogs... Some are crap and waste your clicks... but once you find a good one your day is made.





Also important is the fact that we can answer and contest a blog...l while you cannot do this to BCC, CNN or Fox or any of the daily newspapers... they show the news down your throat.





Blogs are like dialogues... though still unequal because most people who need them don't even have proper electricity. Gazas power supply stands bombed and wont get restored even if peace was restored...for more than a year.
Reply:no peoples opinions are always there