Politicians can now use the Internet!

Ok, so I was pretty flabbergasted (i like that word), when I found out last year or so during the elections that politicians here are banned by law from using the Internet during elections!

"In Japan!! One of the world's most modern economies! I am living in 80's?" I thought...

So yes, until just now, politicians here have been limited to passing out flyers and being very annoying by driving around town with bull horns.

Finally legislation has been passed that removes this ban and politicians can now blog and tweet to their liking and inform the public in a fast and efficient manner about their thoughts, policies, etc...

That is great news!

Just one condition, they have to explicitly say that what they are posting/mailing/etc... for election purposes and the writer has to explicitly write his/her name, etc...

Nice! I see nothing wrong with that. In fact it is the probably the right direction as I wouldn't want them to go the other direction like the U.S. has gone... where the government (and does often!) create propaganda in favor of the government and is not legally required to say that it was produced by the government!! (and somehow they frequently "forget" to mention this little fact...)

Humm... governments able to create propaganda in favor for themselves and can legally and frequently do hide the fact that they created it..... humm.. yea, I see nothing wrong with that. (said with sarcasm)

Fortunately, something like that would not fly in Japan...

Source


(Update 2/12.. Ok, I probably went overboard when saying they "frequently" produce propaganda... but I certainly remember a press reporter asking Bush why they don't change this law to make the government have to tell the public when it is government produced and he just kind of chuckled and put that grin on his face and said "well, I don't think we need to really do that now...." and passed on that comment.... As there hasn't been any change in administration after Obama I doubt that this law has been changed... let me know if you know more about this...)