The Question

This question was posted on behalf of Velko Miloev, member of the Practitioners' Network.

I am interested in creative solutions for using websites and Facebook pages for voter education / information, particularly in developing democracies. The context I am currently working in involves good infrastructure, roughly half of the voting population using internet and/or Facebook and the usual apathy among young voters.

Summary of responses
One practitioner recommends focusing on horizontal interaction (music, video clips, etc.), rather than top-down voter education efforts, in order to reach youth most effectively via the Internet. Another emphasises the need to make any efforts as interactive as possible, to best capture the attention of young people.

Several other replies, on the other hand, note that the Internet is often not an ideal medium in the context of developing democracies because of a lack of accessibility. Instead, other more traditional methods of voter education, as well as SMS technology, are advocated.

Examples of related ACE Articles and Resources
Encyclopaedia:
• Voter Education: The Media

Consolidated replies:
• EMBs and Social Media

Names of contributors
• Paul Graham
• Pamela Mapondera
• Moussa Abdou
• Kisimba Albert
• Abdul Alim
• Hadija Miiro
• Atem Oben Henry Ekpeni

May I suggest that you consider 'posters', music and short video interviews/clips which have a youth appeal. Part of the value of new media to young people is that it creates horizontal interaction rather than 'one to many' or 'expert to initiate' forms of communication and you should be seeking to optimise that in your strategy and in the design of your material.

Your idea is quite brilliant and would be very effective for reaching the youth as they spend most of their time hooked on the internet. I would also suggest that you make use of the sms through network operaters to disseminate short messages and request for responses if any through the facebook or internet. You can also bring in use of twitters and/or skype as well so that you can also chat with even older people to widen your target population.

I hope you will find the information useful

Pamela Mapondera (Mrs.)

Les médias sociaux sont une bonne opportunité et un moyen efficace pour l'éducation  des électeurs pour peu que le site servant à véhiculer l'information bénéficie d'une très grande accessibilité. Cependant, ces médias ne remplissent leur mission que pour les pays développes ou le taux d’illettrisme est quasi nul. dans nos pays en développement, ces médias sont utilisés par moins de 2% de la population en âge de voter. C'est pourquoi, il serait bon de penser à une alternative qui pourrait mieux apporter à l'éducation civique et l'éducataion des électeurs.

Je comprends que dans  le contexte de votre pays le net est accessible à plus de la moitie de la population, mais pour les pays vraiment en voie de démocratie comme la RDC, mon pays, la connexion à l’internet est non seulement un privilège mais aussi pas accessible a 15% de la population en y ajoutant les jeunes en âge de voter qui peuvent l’utiliser sur le téléphone mobile, déjà que  le réseau téléphonique couvre37 à  43% du pays et encore.

Pour ma pars, je propose que la sensibilisation au vote et ou l’acceptation des résultats se fasse de façon tradition, cela veut dire, des réunions publique avec appât ( polo, casquette, image, vidéo, scénettes et autres comédies) en puisant sur le quotidien des populations avec à terme l’optimisation de cette activité par les réseaux sociaux, qui ne sont pas non plus a exclure dans les villes.

 Par ailleurs, l’utilisation des SMS par les operateurs des téléphonies mobile pourrait être un autre moyen de porter cette sensibilisation aux populations ayant un portable.

Tout est à travailler en échelonnant les valeurs et selon les milieux, sinon géniale comme idée de départ et je l’encourage.  

My opinion is that the voter and civic education technique depends on the country context, e.g. where there is available internet facilities, it could be a good medium. In some South Asian countries including Bangladesh NGOs are very strong and have strong network in the grass-root level. So the NGOs are engaged to do it and they use posters, leaflet, miking, banner etc. In Bangladesh cable TV is very popular, hence this is used for such education.

Alim

True, a good number of the youth spend a lot of time on social media networks especially  especially face book and twitter. The challenge is that one may block your contact or messages if not interested in your agenda.

On the other hand, a good majority of adults in the developing world still prefer traditional  mass media methods -electronic means especially radio and print media-particularly news papers, posters etc.

Caution must be taken when using SMS messages for voter information as it difficult to distinguish between authentic and non authentic messages.  I have worked in environments where SMS messages have been used to deter voters from participating in electoral activities or to disseminate inciting messages, misinform voters by telling them that an election has been post phoned or a voting location has been changed resulting in violence and low voter turnout.

Your project is a good one but youths are more interested in interacting and just looking. l suggest you development an information forum that is interactive and look forward to updates from the youths and their opinions. With this you can better get them involve and participate with each other to attract a wider audience.