election cybersquatting
I read in today’s Crikey that the NSW Liberal Party have set up a pre-election website with the web address morrisiemma.com – taking the name of the NSW Labor Party Premier. When you go to the site, it runs a (fairly punchy) advertisement attacking Labor. The Premier’s own site has the same URL, apart from a .au on the end. It runs a schmaltzy video about Morris Iemma and his upbringing “centred on family, faith and community”, as well as having a bunch of other information.
The hoax site is properly authorised by the Liberal Party’s state director in NSW and I’m sure it’s all above board as far as the local electoral law is concerned. This sort of ambush marketing is something that both major parties and their supporters do from time to time and I suppose one could see it as all part and parcel of electoral contests. However, it does strike me as a bit below the belt. There are plenty of chances to validly attack your opponents without having to rely on cybersquatting. What do readers think? Is it an unfair tactic or a fairly harmless attempt to find another way to get a campaign message out?
22 Comments, Comment or Ping
DrJon
Well, it’s cybersquatting. If cybersquatting is bad, then the tactic is unfair.
Political parties on both sides of politics have a long history of immoral conduct. It does not surprise me that this would happen.
Feb 19th, 2007
philip travers
Where is Coalition Unity when you need a Erroll Flynn type swashbuckler type analysis!?I cannot see it as immoral,more desperation.Surely those who are interested in whatever information is laudable on the net will find its value sooner or later,especially in this land of vegemite!Least I be accused of bullying of CU .I think he is hiding the fact, that he is an excellent frisbee owner and champion of blue ribbon variety.So much so he has hidden his humble farm background, where like Don Bradman he improvised his essential training.That is he terrorised his family,schools,and church,by throwing old cow pads at everyone,then,confused everyone by a non sosphisticated use of the BS. descriptor to describe his frisbee.I think he also learnt the word overkill,which you can readily sense by his quick thrusts on this web diary.
Feb 19th, 2007
Rob
The desperate measure should be easily turnable on itself. Desperation, sleaziness, amateurish all come to mind – non of which does the liberals any credit. Raise it at question time or at a press conference. See how Howard answers. If well learn, if not well, twist the dagger.
Feb 19th, 2007
Oz
I really doubt the inspirational nature of Morris Iemma will result in many people wanting to know more about him and search for him on the internet. As a Labor member I get sent emails all the time about the Debnam Record site they run, haven’t been and don’t really care.
Most political tactics could be described as unfair generally. Usually its because its petty but then again this election could be close so it gets even more pettier than usual as we saw on Stateline.
Feb 19th, 2007
Megan
One of my friends is a veteran international frizzer player – having played on both sides of the Tasman, and also in some other country.
Feb 19th, 2007
ken
Non-issue – just a technological version of the ager old political process.
Feb 20th, 2007
joseph inkerman
Broadly speaking, the left have forfeited the high moral ground to get too whiny about things like this. Where does one draw the line that some culture jamming, for instance, a McDonald’s logo parody, is acceptable but others are out of bounds? Having said that I don’t think this will work for the Liberals. You can picture the Liberal webmasters snorting and high fiving at their ‘coup’ but it won’t register with many others, and if it does, they’ll probably think it’s a bit sophomoric for the blue ribbon Liberal brand. For what ever reason, this hijacking doesn’t have the zing of a couple of kids cyber-heisting the Coca Cola Zero brand.
Feb 20th, 2007
unique_stephen
I think that it reflects badly on the libs.
Feb 20th, 2007
Coalition Unity
I have not the slightest idea what PT is talking about.
Should you wish to contribute to the discussion / debate, then I suggest you do so in a constructive manner.
Feb 20th, 2007
wilful
Broadly speaking, the left have forfeited the high moral ground to get too whiny about things like this.
Who the effing F are the ‘left’ and what if anything do they have to do with Morris Iemma?
Feb 20th, 2007
Lynette2
Interesting.
Is it on a par with the culture jamming of corporations or not? I guess it is if Iemma’s site is just an ad.
It’s not quite the same thing as hijacking a blog is it?
It’s not terribly civilised behaviour, but we’re talking politics here so you have to expect it.
Doesn’t do much for the appearance of dignity politicians usually try on.
It does seem to be just another tactic for getting a message out there, but hugely open to criticism – a kind of “this is how low they’ll go” response.
I wonder about how the less internet savvy would view it. Enough contact with cyberspace soon teaches you to be rather more sceptical than you otherwise might be.
Feb 20th, 2007
red crab
it just go,s to prove that they are very worried about the next election.
Feb 20th, 2007
joseph inkerman
Hi “wilful”.
I consider Andrew Barlett ‘left’. Many who vote Labor (ie. for Iemma) consider themselves left of Liberal voters.
This was clearly the context of my comment.
God I hate this red herring game Lefties like you, “wilful”, play.
If YOU want to put forward an argument, you have no problem with categories like “Howard voters”, “multinationals”, “workers”, “Aborigines”, “the right”, and so forth. (We sometimes need to group so we can put forward arguments in a non-convoluted manner). Yet when someone wants to comment on the Australian Left, apparently you’re all as unique as snow flakes, and no pigeon holing can be done! No generalisation can be made, so rather than listening to even minor criticism you engage in this predictable semantic game.
Trust me “wilful” you CAN be catergorised; you’re particularly not that special.
Feb 20th, 2007
David Jackmanson
My gut reaction is that this is part of the small change of politics. If anything, it shows incompetence in the Iemma camp – they should have locked up all vaguely relevant domain names the week Iemma became premier.
I reserve the right to change my tune and squeal like a child if it happens to me though :)
Feb 20th, 2007
Jen Cluse
Looks like you may have made your point rather well, Andrew. I havve just read your comment (070220 2305) and decided to check this latest liberal laxity out – to be informed of a 404 error – not there.
Well done?
Yet again.
Feb 20th, 2007
The Feral Abacus
Jen Cluse – unfortunately Andrew’s link is faulty. The site is still up here
Feb 20th, 2007
Paul Walter
David Jackmanson’s thought is a good one.
Apart from that, typical (young?) lib flying squad nonsense- the sort of rubbish used to foul debate at many blog sites also, including occasionally this one, as Joseph Inkerman’s comment demonstrates.
Feb 21st, 2007
philip travers
I find it difficult ,for anyone to want to pigeon hole me,although I wont say why, because ,I would of thought, it was obvious.And from what I gather snowflakes real and artificial, as much as I like the idea of being as pure as the driven snow,I somehow cannot see me being part of a major attraction,although lofty at times I may be.I cannot find any categorisation I would put Wilful in except maybe ,it is impossible to know why he has stated what he has in a short brief way.My problem with Coalition Unity is he is practising something that doesnt do anything else but remain a distraction.He maybe a more pleasant person than what he jumps in with,and more flexible of mind than what appears.Could it be a troll left opinion…or a right..troll..left opinion..I do not think there is much joy or learning capacity in deciding an immediate response to irritation and the description is a grounding in some sort of high moment of deciding who is or isnt on the high moral ground.CU is there to… by visiting here.
Feb 21st, 2007
wilful
Joseph, so basically anyone, you mean? Since ‘we’ have collectively forfeited the moral high ground, and Iemma is ‘one of us’. Well sorry buddy, if that’s the game then you lost back in 1933 with Hitler. While the ‘left’ lost it in the 30s with Stalin.
Just goes to prove, your labels and sweeping statements are moronic.
Feb 21st, 2007
Andrew Bartlett
sorry for gettnig the link wrong – have fixed it now. ‘Twasn’t deliberate
Feb 21st, 2007
Colin Campbell
This is the kind of stuff that I used to see all the time in America when I lived there. Dirty tricks advertising was very common. As with all American things, they seem to trickle into Australian culture sooner or later. I think people are smart enough to see through it.
Feb 24th, 2007