Almost Real

Patrick Ruffini's recent blog post on techPresident has a notable take on the evolving use of social media by the Obama team. Here's an excerpt:

"The Internet is specifically like reality television. Much has been made of the "transparency" of Change.gov -- but it actually is to real transparency what reality TV is to reality. Submitting your story on why the health system sucks does not allow you to discuss alternatives to some sort of nationalization of the health system under Obama. It's using Web 2.0 and the illusion of openness to support an existing policy position which is unlikely to change. The politicians are using the Internet to justify what they were going to do anyway. This is very shrewd on their part, but a far cry from what transparency advocates say they are for."

Check it out here.

(Photo-illustration by Shaunl for istock.com)