The technology for Internet 'begging' for campaign funding has been around for about 3 years now, according to Arun Bose, Chief Information Officer for 'PoliticsOnline'. His agency sells specialized software called 'Online Fundraiser' which allows potential donators, via credit card, to directly contribute to their favorite candidate. Unlike regular credit card purchases conducted via a website, campaign donations are not placed into an escrow account first. In the last two years, 'PoliticsOnline', with its 10 employees and 200 websites, has outfitted their sites with this particular function. Instead, his site simply introduces his political ideologies further.
Many politicians use their homepages as a cheap and effective communication tool.
Visitors to their sites, who leave an email address, receive regular email updates from their favorite politician. Last, but not least, the Internet also plays host to a variety of so-called activists, or rather hecklers, who, on their homepages poke fun at the different politicians.