Google to keep politicians honest

[T_i_B]

Source: Daily Telegraph

Google Australia has unveiled what it describes as the world's most powerful dedicated election website, capable of exposing inconsistencies in the public pronouncements of political leaders.

Prime Minister John Howard, who has announced policies online for the first time in the lead-up to the election, said politicians were now taking the Internet seriously.

"I recognise that this medium is not some sort of gimmick but can provide an uninterrupted, direct and open channel between decision-makers and voters," Mr Howard said in a video presentation at the site's launch. His conservative government has targeted Internet users as it seeks to reverse poor opinion polls and win a fifth term in office.

Google's Australian-developed election site includes a feature called "On the Record", where users can type in a politician's name, along with an issue of their choosing. It then scours parliamentary transcripts and the politician's personal website to find any statements on the issue, allowing voters to check whether their representatives are being consistent. It also gives voters electoral information through a range of online tools including YouTube, GoogleEarth and GoogleMaps. Google said it was the first time so many features had been available on a single election website.


Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/15/wgoogle115.xml

[aquart]

1. Where's ours?

[Hosnon]

4. Give it time. If I had to guess, I'd say that Google is using Australia as a test run. (nt)

[T_i_B]

5. Yes

I'm sure that if it's a success down under it'll be making a splash with you guys in 2008.

As to our lot in the UK, well we don't know as yet when Gordon Brown plans on holding the next election just yet.

[skids]

6. They tried it on one of our politicians...

...but the server caught fire and they had to shut the whole thing down :+

[annabanana]

2. What a good idea..

Where's ours indeed. Inconsistency would be much easier to track.

[ryanmuegge]

3. Their interests are against something like that here.

They may lose a buck if Republicans don't put together an effective enough PR campaign to make the public believe they're different from Bush. Don't want to take a chance of screwing up the PR campaign.