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| MPs 'talking not hearing online' | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| MPs are getting more adept at using the internet - but they tend to see it as way of talking to rather than hearing from voters, new research suggests. | |
| Attitudes among MPs to new media as a communications tool are too "passive", the Hansard Society has concluded. | Attitudes among MPs to new media as a communications tool are too "passive", the Hansard Society has concluded. |
| Its research found that although 83% of MPs have a personal website, only 11% of them blog while less than one in four use social networking sites. | Its research found that although 83% of MPs have a personal website, only 11% of them blog while less than one in four use social networking sites. |
| New media remained an "untapped area" for political engagement, it said. | New media remained an "untapped area" for political engagement, it said. |
| US example | US example |
| All British parties have been studying Barack Obama's use of the internet during his successful election campaign to attract supporters, focus policy debates and drive voter registration. | All British parties have been studying Barack Obama's use of the internet during his successful election campaign to attract supporters, focus policy debates and drive voter registration. |
| It is thought the Obama campaign employed as many as 95 permanent web staff and spent heavily on online operations. | It is thought the Obama campaign employed as many as 95 permanent web staff and spent heavily on online operations. |
| MPs are transmitting and not receiving Andy Williamson, Hansard Society | MPs are transmitting and not receiving Andy Williamson, Hansard Society |
| A survey of 168 MPs by the Hansard Society - the independent political research organisation - found members of Parliament were not fully exploiting the internet's interactive potential. | A survey of 168 MPs by the Hansard Society - the independent political research organisation - found members of Parliament were not fully exploiting the internet's interactive potential. |
| Its findings suggested MPs see electronic media primarily as a way of informing the public about their activities and views rather than engaging with people about them. | Its findings suggested MPs see electronic media primarily as a way of informing the public about their activities and views rather than engaging with people about them. |
| It found that younger MPs and those elected more recently were more likely to use social networking tools. | It found that younger MPs and those elected more recently were more likely to use social networking tools. |
| As for blogs, many MPs believed they did not have the time or resources to manage one although the reputation of some blogs of being a forum for abuse was cited as putting some off. | As for blogs, many MPs believed they did not have the time or resources to manage one although the reputation of some blogs of being a forum for abuse was cited as putting some off. |
| Cabinet minister Hazel Blears attacked political bloggers earlier this year for fuelling a culture of cynicism about public life. | Cabinet minister Hazel Blears attacked political bloggers earlier this year for fuelling a culture of cynicism about public life. |
| But former deputy PM John Prescott is a recent convert to blogging, launching a site to support a fourth Labour term. | But former deputy PM John Prescott is a recent convert to blogging, launching a site to support a fourth Labour term. |
| Although the potential of the internet is generally not well understood by MPs, Hansard said the growth in the number of MPs using social networking sites showed a willingness to learn. | Although the potential of the internet is generally not well understood by MPs, Hansard said the growth in the number of MPs using social networking sites showed a willingness to learn. |
| "MPs are transmitting and not receiving," said Andy Williamson, director of the Society's eDemocracy programme. | "MPs are transmitting and not receiving," said Andy Williamson, director of the Society's eDemocracy programme. |
| "They use the internet as a tool for campaigning and for organising their supporters, rather than opening up two-way communications with constituents." | "They use the internet as a tool for campaigning and for organising their supporters, rather than opening up two-way communications with constituents." |