| | |  Editorials | Opinions 
The Brits Did It Now…
 Guillermo Ramon Adames y Suari - PVNN
July 09, 2010
 |  | In Mexico, about 50 million people have access to the Net today: about 80 million have cell phones in a country of some 110 million. Enough to destroy any politician. |  | | |
But we Mexicans did not do it. We had elections in Mexico last July 4… and we did not do it. As usual Mexicans arrive late and election procedures are not any different. Methods are no excuse and whatever is no excuse. We simply get there late.
One of my articles Social Networking in politics (Internet Voting, Still in Beta!) was on the use of social networks that brought Mr. B. Obama to the White House. A brief analysis was made as to how (with a brand new toy, i.e. the Social Networks) Mr. Obama was promoted via Social Networks and even a worldwide discussion came about.
I tried to awake Mexican politicians: On February 14, 2010, BanderasNews published my article: "How much does it Cost a Social Network for a Political Candidate in Mexico?" But the Mexican mentality is such that "we are beyond all this". Until the world proves that any system is fully operational and then… we finally use it.
So the Brits did it now: David Jones, one of the top publicists in Great Britain, organized David Cameron's campaign. What is interesting in Jones' approach is that he now focuses virtually everything in terms of high speed communications. An example: He opened a web page to influence "great causes": in this case the Climate Summit at Copenhagen. Together with Kofi Annan, they had 16 million hits in a record time. Part of his advice deals with the fact that in his approach he transfers the decision power to the masses. Massive communications organized by him claim: "Worldwide opinions need absolute transparency and truth; otherwise by their own nature, they are destroyed". A good honest idea spreads!
The idea Jones' brought up is that through the Net, people can massively destroy a company, a politician, an idea. The multiplicity of internet devices and its availability all over can give a 180 degree turn in business or in politics. Take Mexico again: About 50 million people have access to the Net today: about 80 million have cell phones in a country of some 110 million. Enough to destroy any politician.
A point in case: During the games of the Soccer World Cup, after Mexico's final defeat. A Congressman requested that the technical director of Mexico's team should appear in Congress to justify his decisions in the game. It took two days for most people to know (between the media, twitter, facebook, and paid telephone SMS's) for the country to react against this intervention. Yet Mexican politicians do not seem to understand and be careful enough of their moves. Many have understood: If facebook and twitter were a "country", it would be larger than China; beyond a billion members worldwide.
When will be the turn of Mexico to use these media for the advancement of democracy?
Guillermo Ramón Adames y Suari is a former electoral officer of the United Nations Organization. Contact him at gui.voting(at)gmail.com |
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