NRT: That was quick

Written By: - Date published: 4:16 pm, March 28th, 2014 - 5 comments
Categories: uncategorized - Tags: ,

no-right-turn-256No Right Turn kind of nails the value of the Internet Party in this post. In itself it probably isn’t that politically useful. However it’s mere existence means that the net becomes a political issue. It forces the typically technophobic and illiterate pack of antiques called Members of Parliament to start dealing with issues arising from it. It moves them outside their comfort zone.

Yesterday, the Internet Party finally launched. And within 7 hours, they had the 500 paid-up members required for registration. At a time when political party membership is generally falling, that’s quite an achievement. As for how they did it: they made it cheap, and they made it easy via online signup – something we can expect the other parties to try and mirror. But in addition to that, they had a cause people could believe in, even if its “visionary” is a vaguely creepy guy who looks increasingly like a Bond villain. Internet freedom, privacy, copyright, but above all, politicians who understand the internet rather than fearing it, people who are of the net rather than coming across like Mr Magoo every time they talk about it – these are things that matter to an increasing number of people. And now there’s a party based around those issues, they’re in the political discourse, and other parties will have to respond.

And that’s the Internet Party’s real value: making the net an issue. Their mere existence moves the Overton window on these issues. Other parties will now be asked about copyright terms, or membership in the “fives eyes” spy-club, and have to take an explicit rather than passive stance. And that means we can judge them on it.

5 comments on “NRT: That was quick ”

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  1. fambo 1
    28 March 2014 at 4:35 pm

    Former Green MP Keith Locke wrote a good piece on the Internet Party on The Daily Blog back in January, pointing out that whether it survives or not, it is likely to bring more voters to the left leaning spectrum of politics

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/01/27/prospects-for-the-internet-party/

  2. Macro 2
    28 March 2014 at 6:41 pm

    The Green Party also has online joining and very easy membership.

  3. Craig Glen Eden 3
    28 March 2014 at 10:15 pm

    I think this is positive, Labour’s caucus has been slow to get to grip with the issues of freedom concerning the internet like the freedom of speech and copy right, this has distanced Labour from young voters and those who use the net like bloggers. Im not surprised the internet party got it’s membership so quick, someone had to represent these people and Kim Dotcom knows that only to well.

  4. Philj 4
    29 March 2014 at 5:21 am

    Xox
    If KDC is an egotist and only in politics for his own selfish intetests, then he should fit in wonderfully well!

  5. RedBaronCV 5
    29 March 2014 at 11:39 am

    Talking to some of the younger set who saw KDC at Rythmn & Vines. All lit up and engaged with what he had to say and how he said it.They simply don’t register older politicians on their radar.

    The left could do a great deal worse than having internet policies that KDC could discuss and promote, if he decides not to go ahead, or if he does go ahead discussing as a group how to get younger voters to turn out.

    Electoral apps that guide you to a polling booth, how to fill out a vote guide , presented in a non boring, not old peoples way. So what if they are just one issue voters , internet freedom, no spying is a serious issue.