GlassBooth

You may have noticed some changes lately to the site. We are in the process of adding some new features, new questions, new candidates, and new elections. Stay in touch with the site as shoot us some feedback when you get a chance.

Apologies to those users that are experiencing problems. We are currently moving servers and upgrading our software so bare with us for the next day or so. Thanks!

Glassbooth recently co-hosted “Generation Action” - in partnership with Do Something.

The party was an opportunity to bring together hundreds of young, dynamic minds in the political space and see what new ideas emerge.

Glassbooth would like to thank The Jet Hotel for hosting, Do Something for being great partners, and all the organizations and young leaders who came out to celebrate.

A while back we blogged DonorsChoose.org - an online model for teachers to fundraise around classroom needs. Now I introduce you to the Generation Project - founded by one of Glassbooth’s very own alumni.

The Generation Project revolutionizes educational philanthropy. Their hook is that they give donors creative control over gifts to high-need K-12 students. Instead of just writing a check, donors design gifts based on their personal passions and priorities: A musician might donate a set of instruments to a high school band, a military veteran might sponsor an essay contest on freedom, or a scientist might sponsor a summer internship for a young person at a lab or hospital.

The Generation Project needs your support. They are finalists for a $10,000 grant at Ideablob. Simply go to the site, register to vote, vote for the project and receive instant karma.

We have been getting a lot of feedback the last couple weeks, asking to see Libertarian candidate Bob Barr added to the site, and we couldn’t agree more. The Glassbooth crack research team has done extensive research on Mr. Barr in an effor to add him to the site. We are missing about 14 of Mr. Barr’s positions, and while the Barr campaign offered help to close this gap, they have not provided in weeks.

If you would like to see Mr. Barr on the site, please contact his campaign directly here and urge them to help.

Make sure to stop by charitybuzz and bid on 4 VIP passes to the Glassbooth/Do Something private party at the DNC.

59% of Americans say they know just some or very little on Obama’s foreign policy positions while 50% say they know very little on McCain’s same positions.

The crack research team at Glassbooth is currently working on adding Green Party nominee, Cynthia McKinney to the site. Stay tuned…

The Pew Internet & American Life Project released a new report yesterday titled “The Internet and the 2008 Election.” While so many polls into attitudes towards elections surface an underlying cynicism towards the entire institution - this release is largely testament to the Internet’s growing influence in elections and how it is being used. Of the more interesting findings:

- 46% of US citizens have used the Internet to get info, share info with others, or get involved this election cylce.

- To put “46%” in a historical context, this number has risen around 10% every election cycle dating back to 2000.

- While SMS technologies are fueling civic engagement globally - they have yet to show real impact in US elections. Of regular text-messengers, only one in ten have used SMS to receive political information.

- Watching videos online has seen the largest bump in activity. Today 35% of US citizens have gone online to watch speeches and political videos. The Pew poll makes a favorable suggestion that the increased interest in access to unfiltered political videos is a response to the decline in the mainstream media’s coverage of political events - or as Pew puts it: a “workaround of ’sound bite’ culture.” Similarly, the diffusion of video capturing technologies (mobile cameras) has been responsible for creating several election storylines - mostly political miscues.

The Internet is an alternative to mainstream media and it is new. There is great promise, but people are still uncomfortable welcoming this new medium for such sacred information. 60% of respondents, when asked, felt the Internet is full of misinformation and propaganda. While the openness of the Internet should never insure integrity - we should all be most interested in the available tools for sharing that surface those select information sources we can trust.

Ron Paul informed the world last night that he is ending his candidacy for president. Over the next couple weeks we will be researching the policy positions of Bob Barr - the Libertarian Party’s nominee for president - in the hopes of adding him to the online quiz soon. Stay tuned.