Internet is for porn, claims former Polish PM

POLAND: Former Polish prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski has surprised political friends and foes with the observation that the internet is for porn. And as such, he added, it is an inappropriate platform for e-voting.

"I am not enthusiastic about the fact that young people sit in front of the computer, watch movies, pornography, drink beer and vote when they feel like it," said Mr Kaczynski, a technophobe without a mobile phone or even a bank account.

"Voting should be a serious, conscious act that requires certain effort. Those who want to introduce voting over the internet want to take that seriousness away."

In his comments yesterday he went further, appearing to suggest that these alcohol and porn-addicted internet users are easily led - and misled.

"It is known who controls the internet and who uses it," he said. "This group is easy to manipulate and to suggest who to vote for."

His remarks were made as part of a debate in Poland about how to boost election participation, particularly among young people.

Young Poles were amused if not surprised by Mr Kaczynski's remarks: five months ago they used the internet to mobilise the young vote and oust him from office.

Online forums were buzzing with reactions yesterday.

One user on the Gazeta Wyborcza website suggested Mr Kazcynski was opposed to e-voting because his traditional supporters - older Poles in rural areas - would not be able to participate.

"People are just laughing at him," said Jakub Urbanik, a Warsaw academic. "It just shows, once again, how out of touch he is."

Mr Kaczynski's remarks have prompted some amusement in Estonia, the world leader on internet voting.

In 2005, it offered internet voting in local elections and over 30,000 people voted online in last year's general election, a world-first.

"Mr Kaczynski is a very right-wing conservative politician, representing a party opposing all liberal ideas so we're not surprised," said Priit Vinkel, adviser to Estonia's elections department.

"But over 10 per cent of the internet voters in 2005 were over 60.

"And anyway, you can't control what people do before or after they go to a polling station either," Mr Vinkel added.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times