It was just a little political advertisement on the internet. There was Hillary Clinton in an Orwellian Big Brother-lite persona, mesmerising a catatonic audience. The logo at the end was of Barack Obama’s campaign. It caused a frenzy. Who made this ad? And the answer was not surprising. It was made by an ordinary American, and then uploaded to Youtube.

The incident is important for three reasons. First, given the technology that exists today, it is not difficult to make a quality ad in the comfort of your own home. Second, politics can generate so much interest that a homemade ad on Youtube can make international headlines; and third, politics has become far more personal than anyone had bargained for. In the US, people participation just became easier, and the internet has proved to be a democratic tool no one imagined. The rules of politics have changed.

In contrast, India still seems to be the land of mass rallies and uninspired political posters. Although the country is touted as the next IT giant, there is a lack of awareness of the internet, and especially of its

potential power.

Internet penetration is certainly higher in urban India. A study by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) put the figure as 37 million users — a sector dominated by youth under 35. IAMAI also found in November 2006 that within urban areas, Mumbai has the largest number of users — 3.24 million — followed by Delhi, 2.66 million; Chennai, 1.48 million; Kolkata, 1.34 million; Bangalore, 1.31 million; Hyderabad, 1.29 million; Pune, 1.02 million and Ahmedabad with 0.78 million users. Also, it was noticeable that the internet penetration share of the top eight metros had declined from 58 per cent in 2001 to 41 per cent in 2006, which means that smaller towns are also fast getting online. Though figures indicate that these internet users, mostly youth, are a minority, it is crucial to remember that they are a significant minority. Because they constitute a demographic section that is eligible to vote, but largely do not. In other words, they represent a largely untapped political constituency that could be accessed through the internet.

... contd.