Missteps on the 2010 general election online campaign trail

Although I’m an enthusiast for the possibilities for sensible use of the online world in political campaigning, it doesn’t always go right for people:

• John Prescott’s botched attempt to encourage ‘click fraud’ on Conservative adverts – unlikely to have cost the Conservatives much, if any, money but certainly earned him a round of bad publicity for Labour.
• The Conservative Party has slashed its online fundraising targets, reinforcing the general message that whilst talking up the marvels of online fundraising is good for getting media coverage (woo! like the US! woo! the future! woo!), in most cases it is less useful at bolstering the bank balance.*
• Labour MP Stephen Timms showed an unfortunate lack of understanding for the term “IP address” for a man who has been so keen on the Digital Economy Bill.
• … and then there’s the case of now ex-Labour candidate Stuart MacLennan who is no longer a candidate thanks to his habit of dishing out abuse on Twitter.

* There are some exceptions and one that will be interesting to watch is Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone who has a high online profile, voted against the Digital Economy Bill (a very popular move with many online activists) and takes donations on www.LynneFeatherstone.org. Will any of that anger over the Digital Economy Bill translate into new donors?