Internet and mobile tools were widely used in the 2009 Indian Lok Sabha elections, by political parties, civil society organizations, media houses and even corporates, leading many observers to call it India’s first digital elections.
Now, it seems that internet is being widely used in the upcoming Iranian presidential elections. Hamid Tehrani at DigiActive has a great post on these initiatives –
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s supporters started to use all the digital means at their disposal. Their virtual campaign is named Dar Emtade Meh (means “following kindness”). In this site supporters are invited to use Facebook, SMS,Twitter,YouTube and blogs to communicate the message. YouTube is used in very pivotal way by campaigners and several Ahmadinejad’s meetings and trips are there. Ahmadinejad is considered a conservative politician.
Mir Hussein Mousavi, former Prime Minister, has launched an internet based TV. His campaign claims that more than 1,000 blogs announced their support of Mousavi. He is supported by former reformist president Mohammad Khatami and he calls himself an independent candidate.
The supporters of Mehdi Karrubi’s, former parliamentary speaker, have launched a Facebook page where several election films are published. Karrubi is considered a reformist candidate.
From the US, to Israel, to India, and now to Iran: it seems that the use of digital tools is now a given in any big election around the world.
