10 Web Tools for Following the 2012 Election

I'll produce a list of apps that I'd like, and someone can go develop them for me -- things like fact-checking ads and speeches, consolidating data about contributions and contributors, having a place to put all the information I look for so that others can look for it, and I can look at theirs, consolidating all the various predictions and sorting them in time and showing what affects them...

@Paul

That is only my prediction. Time will tell whether the politicians will try to cut deals. We wont get to know exactly but we will get the feel.

I certainly agree with you that apps will prove for general masses to be a forum to share their ideas; something which the television & newspapers donot have the capability to provide us with. Whether they have the power to overtake conventional methods such as tv? that remains to be seen.

@kq4ym

Oh yes this will make a difference to all the parties; candidates, internet, IT giants and users. Although seasonal but this will become a new playground for apps and sites operators and they will try make it memorable to uphold their reputation. Not to forget, attracting new customer segments (people not so IN into the apps but who will use it to service their interest in politics) and generating revenue will be one of their primary targets.   

'What these apps and sites will face in the upcoming elections is somewhat similar to what I described. As internet now has gained acceptance even in the political circles and been acknowledged as perhaps one the most powerful means to gain public votes' share, politicians will certainly get their feet in this ground and push their influencing methods out. That will make internet controversial too and may be litigations for the apps' and sites' operators for giving undue support. I definitely see that coming."

I am not entirely sold out on this and to me it will be plain foolish for a candidates to go about lobbying apps developer. How do you even know what apps developers are up to? Are you going to troll the internet looking for apps developer and trying to secure sweet deals with them? For all practical purposes it is not a working solution.

  Apps in themselves are really not a bad idea. As candidates you can also used them to broaden your appeal to the voters. The internet is not controversial and I don't want to believe even the candidates see it that way. The Internet has offered all candidates with both opportunities and challenges.  Today some of the mind blowing fundraising numbers will never have happen without the help of these digital resources. However, to me these apps are not about the candidates but about us. They give us the resources we need to fully a more direct role in shaping the conversation as opposed to our inability to do so with traditional media outlets like TV and newspaper. 

"There is so much being said, so much content being created -- much of it by voters. More than ever it is critical to pay attention. I guess it's worth asking, though, is there anything that doesn't need attention? Is there anything campaign staff members can overlook?"

I perfectly agree with you and I believe this level of digital interactivity presents both opportunities and challenges for all candidates. To answer your question, I think it will be very suicidal for any campaign team to overlook issues about the candidates that is trending online.  A 'minor' issue raised by a single tweet has the potential to become headline news on TV in less than no time.  But again it is also not a matter of whether you should respond or not but the way you go about it also. As campaign team you probably would want to avoid your answers generated more negative buzz than the original issue.

I pretty much like what these online resources have brought to the election circle. From a voter's perspective, it can only mean well since you can in one way or the other can directly take part in the debates. Another thing also we are now seeing how online discussions are shaping how the elections coverage on TV and in newspaper. 

I'm not entirely clear on how you're tying in lobbying here. Can you elaborate?

@ Nicole and @ Paul

Yeah sure. The tv channels have always been influenced by politicians. The influence has been so powerful that certain tv channels sound like representatives of certain candidates. Almost all got involved. Why did they do that ? Certainly because they know that if the candidate they support, wins out the election, he/she will give these channels certain benefits agreed 'off' paper as consideration for the support and extra-coverage hours dedicated. That is what I meant by lobbying.

What these apps and sites will face in the upcoming elections is somewhat similar to what I described. As internet now has gained acceptance even in the political circles and been acknowledged as perhaps one the most powerful means to gain public votes' share, politicians will certainly get their feet in this ground and push their influencing methods out. That will make internet controversial too and may be litigations for the apps' and sites' operators for giving undue support. I definitely see that coming.

Yep, looks like Google and other will leverage the election cycle into more features to capture the curiosity of their viewers.

In the sense that it may not make any difference who is elected, would it follow that whatever politiacl "entertainment" is viewed on the internet will aldo not make any difference?

Nicole and Cyborg--thank you. 

Hi Chris, thanks for your comment. At least a few of these were applications or Websites that aggregate content from various sourses (including the first Google site mentioned). Regarding Apple, these aren't apps created by Apple itself, of course. They're third-party apps that get sold in the App Store. The second Google site mentioned, if you're talking about the Bad Lip Reading videos on YouTube, devotes its humorous jabs to politicians from both sides of the aisle.

With that said, if you have examples of nonpartisan apps/sites, or those with a more conservative bent, please feel free to share. Overall, though, I really don't think anything is fully "nonpartisan."