Posted by yuga in Tech News, The Internet | 15 Comments
Friendster, an unlikely internet election campaign arena
It didn’t really crossed my mind, but a recent story from GMA News mentioned the use of Friendster as one of the internet marketing tools used by senatorial candidates Chiz Escudero and Lieutenant Antonio Trillanes IV. (Just look at how cheesy Chiz’s Friester account is!)
But actually it made sense. Friendster is probably the most widely visited site by Filipinos with over 5 Million users (that’s way back in January 2006). It’s a social website and since the election is all about socializing with the electorate, the candidates are right smack in the middle of millions of potential voters. In exchange for candidates knocking on your door and shaking hands with you, you get a Friendster invite instead.
Now you can say you’re friends with a senator. *heh* If Chiz’s total number of friends is any indication of the number of votes he’ll get thru internet campaign, then he’s already counting 311.
Related posts:
- Friendster Mobs?
- The Story of Friendster Philippines
- Friendster Ads for Php20
- Friendster Spam
- Friendster Ads Declassified
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- Could Friendster win you an election? » @ YugaTech | Philippine Technology News & Reviews - [...] That’s what senatorial candidate Chiz Escudero is trying to find out. Check out my short entry on PTB: Friendster, ...
- Ituloy angsulong SEOPh » Recipes for a better SEO » |ituloy angsulong| » Political Friendster - [...] Having read Kuya Abe’s post: Could Friendster win you an election? and Friendster, an unlikely internet election campaign arena ...
- @play » Internet’s impact on elections: the US experience - [...] bloggers have also been talking about the possible impact of online tools. Here’s Abe Olandres’ entry, which references a ...
- Online Guide to Election 2007 « - [...] you, you get a Friendster invite instead. Now you can say you’re friends with a senator”. pinoytechblog.com: Friendster, an ...
- one way links - one way links... Cause- related marketing is finally coming into its own. What began in 1983 with the American Express campaign ...
Hey, there’s a steadily growing number of elections related posts. Here’s my take on the topic: Pinoy “citizen journalism,” politics, and campaign period.
Actually, it makes no sense at all. Being Friendster “friends” with a politician is just as meaningless as most online “friends”. What is the value of a Friendster “relationship” unless it translates to something in the real world? (aha, baka pwede siya mamigay ng sako ng bigas sa mga magfe-friend sa kanya… w00hooo!)
I wonder if Chiz would be willing to give me a testimonial.
“Interested in: Friends”
ha! “interested in voters” yeah!
Just re-posting this comment i made on yugatech
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did you know that there is a site called POLITICAL FRIENDSTER?
And i’m sure matatawa kayo… lalo na pag nakita nyo kung sino-sino ang mgakaka-friends.. hahahha
i blogged it here: http://migs.wordpress.com/2007/02/14/politicians-using-friendster/
i’d say it’s a reflection of how cyberspace is the new hyde park.
it would be better if they just make sites that would accept contribution and tell volunteers where to go to help
mas gusto ko silang makitang mag-blog. para makapag comment din ako sa kanila.
How about Wikipedia? hehehe
Read it in Inquirer that some are using Wikipedia.
yup. may wikipedia na sya. and a website too. ung target nya kasi is the youth. pero people on friendster are potential votes too. but parang corny naman yung pag gawa ng friendster account. and if may blog naman sya, hope this will continue even after the election.
I will definitely vote for Chiz Escudero!
I don’t think it’s really Chiz who manages his own account. If he sends me a birthday greeting, I might believe =)
There are other ways of campaigning online. I blogged it here:
http://www.maranan.us/archives/bringing-campaigns-online/
hahaha…alam ko yan…sa bayan ko sa quezon ininvite nya muna lahat ng nagfrefriendster na taga amin..mga 6 months bago mag election…lagi muna siyang nagpopost ng mga bible quotes,inspirational. bla bla..tapos pic nya sa simbahan………tapos ngayon election na naging vote for me yung dating pa wise wise words ya..hahaha
Hi. You’re invited to attend the 14 hour internet marketing hands on workshop at the Mall of Asia on March 28-29,2008.
Details at http://internetmarketingphilippines.blogspot.com.
-Marie for Jomar Hilario
Well, marami na talagang mga kandidato ang gumagamit ng mga social websites para sa kanilang mga kampanya. Sana lang hindi ito ang maging basehan ng mga tao sa tamana pag-pili ng kanilang iboboto.
-pia-