Scott E. Hartley

The use of new media in the electoral process is gaining momentum.  Obama allowed proof of concept by raising unparalleled capital through prolific –yet small– donations, many of which came through his YouTube channel and Google Checkout donate button.  Today, on election-eve in Iran, Mousavi appears to have employed similar, tech-savvy, tactics, leveraging SMS, YouTube, and manifold online platforms to bolster his cause.  Catering to the widely-online, and growing youth demographic, Mousavi’s web savvy could tip the scale.  Based on Google Insights for Search trending, and as highlighted in my Foreign Policy web-exclusive, “Who’s Winning Iran’s Google War?” such tactics are winning him “hits,” if not yet votes.  Whether this trend will move from router to ballot box will be determined on Friday.  In the meantime, even the Google Policy Team has paused to ponder… In Iran, do online hits translate to offline votes?