Cyberadvocacy

[Page 805]Shaping public opinion by influencing decision makers and the political process is fundamental to organizations and special interest groups in achieving their goals. This includes businesses, nonprofits, nongovernmental organizations, and social activist groups. Methods are varied ranging from formal lobbying of politicians to community organizing to diverse forms of media campaigns.

Advocacy is concerned with representing, speaking, and making recommendations on behalf of another. It entails informing, influencing, making one’s case, and persuading. The advent of the Internet with its immediate 24/7 global reach, coupled with the various forms of digital technology and social media, have radically changed how politicians garner votes and how advocates of special causes, perspectives, or solutions function and communicate their message. It can be said that these technologies have evolved ...