Political activism for all

Mark Gibbs' Web site tips, plus network applications news headlines

In these politically charged times the Web has become as important as television or the newspapers in shaping opinion as well as delivering facts, rumors, and, it must be admitted, disinformation (although the Web isn't unique amongst media channels in that regard).

Where the Web is very different than other media is that it isn’t just a one to many content delivery system. The Web’s many social networking platforms have created an environment where pretty much anyone who has a point of view can find their virtual voice.

What’s been missing in this mix is an easy way to address our publicly elected officials. Sure, they all have Web sites so you can find an e-mail address or a Web form to send your comments to them and there are many sites devoted to promoting specific issues and agendas that will forward your comments related to an issue or at least a form letter on your behalf. What’s been missing has been a non-partisan service that provides the same service.

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In these politically charged times the Web has become as important as television or the newspapers in shaping opinion as well as delivering facts, rumors, and, it must be admitted, disinformation (although the Web isn't unique amongst media channels in that regard).

Where the Web is very different than other media is that it isn’t just a one to many content delivery system. The Web’s many social networking platforms have created an environment where pretty much anyone who has a point of view can find their virtual voice.

What’s been missing in this mix is an easy way to address our publicly elected officials. Sure, they all have Web sites so you can find an e-mail address or a Web form to send your comments to them and there are many sites devoted to promoting specific issues and agendas that will forward your comments related to an issue or at least a form letter on your behalf. What’s been missing has been a non-partisan service that provides the same service.

The focus of this edition of the Network World Web Applications Alert newsletter addresses this issue: FREEDOMSPEAKS.COM (yes, they do capitalize it) is a free service for regular citizens that allows its members to send messages to their publicly elected officials. For anyone else, elected officials or those hoping to be or for political action groups, there is a subscription charge.

When you register (the service adamantly promises not to reveal any of your personally identifiable information and you can control what data is publicly visible) you first declare your member type -- a citizen not holding a public office; a citizen running for a publicly elected office; an elected public official; a representative of a for-profit organization, corporation or group, or a non-profit organization, corporation or group. If you are in any category but the first there are fees associated with using FREEDOMSPEAKS.

Next you provide your name and address so that FREEDOMSPEAKS can determine your representatives along with some basic demographics and finally you are asked to optionally enter your gender, political party affiliation, political views, occupation (there is, curiously, no option for “homemaker” or “retired”), marital status, ethnicity, annual salary, and how you found out about the service (all can be tagged as private only).

Once you’ve finished the registration process you are presented with a page that includes a rogue’s gallery of all of your elected officials including their name, photograph, position, and political party along with sections for your letters, your friends, and, interestingly, your foes.

Given the volatile nature of anything to do with politics the foe concept is relevant. When you identify someone whose views you disagree with you can not only mark them as a foe, you can find out who else has marked them similarly, who they have marked as friends, the letters they’ve written, the comments they have made, and send them personal messages.

You can also modify your account (change address and other details) as well as add a photo, select which notifications to receive (weekly newsletter, alerts to comments to your letters, and personal messages from other users), and download widgets for blogs and Web pages (so far the only widget is a “Do You Know Who represents You?” widget).

Mark Gibbs is a consultant, author, journalist, columnist and blogger.