2. The Internet, the Media and the
Future of Democracy
Sitra JEF-Europe seminar “Fixing a hole –Closing
a Gap in Democracy”, 22nd October 2011
Taneli Heikka

3. The power of setting a political agenda
has shifted from the mainstream media &
old political parties to digitally organized
and driven ad-hoc movements.

4. • Three ways in which digital
grassroots movements bybass
the mainstream media and
political parties as agenda
setters

5. 1. Changing the
rhetorical culture

6. First come the bloggers…

7. …then the little boys…

8. …and the big girls in mainstream media…

9. and finally, come the election results.

10. 2. Affecting the
ambience echo
chamber

11. Not only in the US they can…
Not only in they US they can…

12. …but in Finland too, in times of trouble…

13. …look at the bright side of life (enter the
bloggers)

14. …and the enterpreneurial tweeters:
Actually, we’re awesome!

15. Let’s look at it this way! Awesome!

16. And finally, politicians and mainstream
media pick up on the changed ambience.

17. 3. Super-charging
the political
organization

18. A political organization 2.0

19. #ows – a political organization 2.0

20. Q’s and
conclusions

21. • All new and relevant political ideas are
digitally native
• ”Is web2.0 relevant to politics” is not the
question – that has been answered several
years ago
• But the interesting things on the Web are
done by others than the established
political players

22. • ”Old parties’”ideological development has
dried out along with their incapability to
adopt to the new communication
environment
• Parties & media were moderators in the
political agenda setting and implementing
process

23. • Those filters are increasingly being
bypassed
• Who are the moderators now?

24. • The Internet does not, for now, provide a
platform for negotiation and deliberation
between extremes

25. • Does the Parliament remain as the only
such functioning institution?
• Does the Internet as it now is actually
work towards a shattered society where
decision making is increasingly difficult?

26. • If so, should we make every effort to build
tools and develop practices for decision
making on the internet?

27. “Our parents are grateful because they’re
voting. We’re the first generation to say
that voting is worthless.”
Marta Solanas, 27, Spain (New York Times)

28. The parties and
media are no more
there to stop us
doing what the
internet enables us
to do. Let’s choose
wisely what we
decide to do.

29. • taneli.heikka@gmail.com
• http://avajaopen.fi
•