Social networking website, MySpace.com , has announced the launch of the ‘Impact Channel’, a political community designed to empower politicians, non-profits, and civic organizations to connect with MySpace users around the world.
The Impact Channel includes a voter registration tool, links to all official candidate profiles, content from GOOD Magazine, Impact-related event and job listings, videos, and programs. An Impact-specific profile type, to be rolled-out in the next several weeks, will offer Impact-makers special functionality including the network’s first viral fundraising tool and customizable badges. The Impact Channel aims to kick-off a series of large-scale online and offline political programming continuing through the 2008 American presidential elections.
Chris DeWolfe, CEO of MySpace said, “As the country’s most trafficked Website, MySpace will play a powerful role in the upcoming election. Our digital candidate banners will be the yard signs of the 21st Century and our political viral videos and vlogs are the campaign ads of the future. By empowering our users with easy-to-find information, offered in a way they can relate to it, Impact will ignite their involvement in the political process.”
The Impact Channel aims to create an unparalleled content platform to connect political candidates and civic organizations to the site’s dynamic user population. Modeled after existing content channels such as MySpace Music and Video, the new channel wants to enable the community to learn about the candidates, experience the political process online and offline, and uncover issues and organizations relevant to their lives.
As part of the Impact launch, 10 presidential candidates, five Republicans and five Democrats, have launched their official MySpace profiles.
The launch of the Impact Channel is the first phase in MySpace’s plan to engage and mobilize in political and civic engagement. Representatives say MySpace will engage politicians at the national and local levels as well as organizations aimed at mobilizing and exciting users about civic issues such as Declare Yourself, Do Something, and Kiva.
In the coming months, MySpace will roll out large-scale political tools, both online and offline, to raise candidates’ profiles and mobilize voters.