Digital Democracy
D.C. event looks at politics in the age of the Internet
More than 125 alumni gathered at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on March 26 for a spirited talk on the implications of digital media on political communications, news reporting, and expression of opinion. The event, Digital Democracy: Politics, Privacy & Creativity in the Age of the Internet, was hosted by the Boston University Alumni Club of Washington, D.C.
A panel discussion featured Tobe Berkovitz, dean ad interim of the College of Communication; Maureen O'Rourke, dean of the School of Law; Ben Golant (CGS’86, CAS’88, COM’88), assistant general counsel, U.S. Copyright Office; Gigi Sohn (COM’83), president of Public Knowledge, a Washington digital-rights advocacy group; Paul Steinhauser (COM’85), deputy political director of CNN; and Macon Phillips, director of strategy and communications practice at Blue State Digital, which builds online hubs for Democratic candidates and communities. Media commentator Matthew Felling (COM’96), former editor of CBSNews.com’s “Public Eye” blog, moderated the panel.
The discussion encompassed several topics, including the galvanizing effects of YouTube and social networking sites on voters and political campaigns. Berkovitz pointed to the swift response to Sen. Hillary Clinton’s “3 a.m.” ad, which questioned Sen. Barack Obama’s foreign policy credentials in the build-up to the competitive Texas primary. Obama’s strategists had an almost instantaneous rebuttal, which was released on the internet that same day. Other panelists cited Congressman Ron Paul’s ability to leverage social networking sites such as Facebook to generate a grass-roots campaign and raise money.
Click here to view photos from the event.