Broadband Internet

Let's face it; getting young people to take an interest in politics these days can be very difficult. With voter apathy present in general elections, many more young people are more prepared to vote in reality television shows and online polls rather than to elect a new candidate or Prime Minister.

However, groups such as Rock The Vote are helping to raise awareness of politics amongst youngsters by targeting one of their most common interests - the wide world of internet gaming - in time for the upcoming US presidential elections. And if the pilot scheme is successful, soon we could see politicians making use of social networking sites, video sharing sites and online gaming communities in order to reach out to apathetic voters.

We live in a digital age, with a wide variety of broadband providers vying for our business, and the world of online gaming has seen a rise in interest as a result. MMORPGs have become worldwide successes. Console gaming has seen a resurgence in popularity, with many consoles giving gamers access to a multitude of services - including the opportunity to play against opponents from around the world and communicate with each other.

And now, it seems that the world of politics could soon be moving into the world of broadband gaming in an attempt to garner the interest of many who would normally shy away from the subject. By utilising online polls on the subjects that matter through the services they play on, opinion can be gathered, analysed and then put into place in future.

Some politicians have already made use of video sharing websites - with Conservative leader David Cameron making use of video blogs in order to reach out to voters who are more comfortable in front of a computer than a voting booth. Indeed, with an increase in digital participation - through broadband and television - the opportunity to reach voters and allow them to cast a vote with a click of their mouse or a press of their red button could allow the chance to increase participation in general elections by giving voters another outlet through which to make their voices heard.

With millions of broadband users around the world, the idea of voting using a click of your mouse or a press of a key on your game controller may sound far-fetched at first, but could prove to be vital for government figures. By gathering ideas and opinion through the medium of broadband participation, politicians have the opportunity to find out the views and opinions of many 'hidden voters' and help to reduce voter apathy.