The World Wide Web has brought countless advantages to the world, since it began in the 1970's. It started out as a simple Pentagon research project that allowed no public assess. Now more than 30 years later, the Internet is enormous. According to the 2001-2002, textbook "Government by the People", the Cyber world contains over 1 billion documents and 15 million Domains (227)." .
With just the click of a mouse or the touch of a keyboard, a user can be transported all over the world. Online shopping, banking, auctions, and research, have become second nature to most Americans. With the Internet revolutionizing communications via e-mail, instant messengers, and Web cams, the world has become very small in the global sense.
The abundant changes occurring because of Internet technology have affected almost all aspects of modern life. The political arena is no different. Government and politics are two of the most controversial yet important issues facing the world today. The Internet has made it possible to become informed about virtually any aspect of a political candidate, or campaign. This includes, (but is not limited to) information regarding particular biographies, credentials, and education. The Web has also enabled people to educate themselves on a particular candidate's views, issues, and agendas. Just a decade ago, this was implausible. At that time, voters had to rely on newspapers, the radio, and television for candidate/campaign information. .
The Internet has changed how an American political campaign functions. Up to the minute coverage of speeches, blunders, and ill-fated remarks are available on thousands of Internet sites, mere minutes after they are stated. On the negative side, this does not allow campaign managers much time to initiate damage control. In decades past, news stories would have waited until the next day for a headline in the newspaper, or until the next news broadcast to receive public attention.