UK Election 2010: Ask your questions, it involves you too
This week in the United Kingdom, the voting public go to the polls to elect their new government and local representatives in the 2010 General Election. This is one of the closest races in generations, and students nationwide will play an integral part to play, with Web and social media availability never seen before in a UK election.
Even though the two countries, the United Kingdom and United States still hold a massive stake in each others' history, the two countries could not be more similar yet so different. The values are mostly the same, the election process is somewhat similar, and the infrastructure and economies are almost identical.
Yet for many Americans, the UK general election may not, and somewhat understandably, see it as important as others. Some may argue that irrespective of political opinion, the two countries can work together regardless; such as the right-wing Republican Bush working closely with left-wing Liberal Blair for most of the last decade, especially since the September 11th attacks.
Many of you have emailed me questions in regards to the election - including but not limited to the process itself, the possibility of a "hung" outcome, the technological impact in terms of policy - even how political values could shape the way that web access is provided, and the knock-on effects onto the tech world.
Such issues as online privacy, along with file-sharing laws and reforms in expanding the availability of technology through cheaper alternatives and faster home broadband are important matters to address. Even immigration legislation which may impact the economy of another country though allowing or disallowing entrepreneurial enterprise to seek funding and logistical assistance, for example.
Other elements are important to take into account through this entire process. Such questions which I will be answering throughout this week ask whether socially designed mashupsandFlash applications engage or alienate the voter, how social networking and Twitter can end your political career, whether the web has overtaken the television in coverage and persuasion, and examining how the 2008 US presidential election actually set a 'Western precedent' which may or may not have spread across the pond.