PressEthic

In a YouTube featured video, Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts voices his support for Net Neutrality. He talks about the importance of the internet, and gives his reasons as to why it should be free:

If you've ever wondered what's at stake in the fight over Net Neutrality, the answer is as clear as the picture on your screen. The Internet allows me and everyone else to communicate directly with you. No matter what your political agenda, no matter what your political party, Net Neutrality protects your freedom of speech.

First of all, after watching the video, I still have no clear picture of what "Net Neutrality" is. Kennedy definitely makes it sound like a good thing, having a free and open internet. However, I really don't understand the politics behind it and the actual policies that he is arguing for/against. What kind of actual change will come about if we vote for this issue?

Also, this was definitely a smooth move on Kennedy's part. As Vanessa pointed out in an earlier blog, the internet and video are being used to get issues and information to the masses quickly. This was an extremely smart strategy to get to the voters, especially this particular niche. Ted Kennedy uses the very medium he's supporting in his campaign to appeal to the voters who, of course, will most likely support this issue. While the people who watch YouTube may not be particularly involved in political issues, this one issue will certainly catch their attention because of the very nature of its content. The purpose and draw to YouTube is its free and open quality. A politician advocating for the continuation of this free and openness is bound to gain support here. In fact, only 1 out of 10 comments on the video were negative. His video seems to have gained overwhelming support from YouTube subscribers.

Also, it was very strategic that this is the only issue that Kennedy put up on YouTube, as if it represents his entire campaign platform. This makes it convenient for Kennedy to gain support from so many simply because of this one issue. This video even appealed to me when I first saw it, but I am wary to put forth support for Kennedy without knowing the other issues. It seems to me like a carefully thought out campaign strategy, simply used to gain votes from the masses of internet users.