Cameron's Coalition first to feel the Wrath of the Twittersphere

The coalition government led by David Cameron is the first government to truly suffer the wrath of the Twittersphere.

Launched in July 2006, Twitter is only now reaching critical mass. Driven initially by the chance to follow celebrities (take a bow Stephen Fry), Twitter usage rapidly evolved from simple fandom into a way of getting news way before professional news outlets could supply it. The predominant usage has continued to evolve and today it presents a primary vehicle for the global and local populace to voice opinions on a rage of topics, from Celebrity Big Brother to national and global politics.

The 'Trend' has become all important. Twitter users increasingly watch and contribute to trending subjects. As a result, we can now get a much better idea about what people REALLY think.

When it comes to the world of politics, governments have, until the arrival of Twitter, led charmed lives. Governments from both the left and the right have become skilled in manipulating the news agenda. They have employed masters in the art (take a bow Alistair Campbell) who have been spectacularly successful at taking news stories and spinning and massaging them through often sympathetic news outlets. They have been able to bury bad news behind larger stories, safe in the knowledge that, with finite room in newspapers, there was little chance that the stories would be elevated into anything long-lasting or troublesome. And many stories would be considered too minor for many editors to bother with.

That has all changed with the arrival of Twitter.

In recent months the Twittersphere has grown, accelerated and become more politically aware. The coalition government has been criticised and ridiculed daily in some depth. No aspect of the lives and actions of ministers has been ignored. The overall impression given by the Twittersphere is that this government is deeply resented. From daily trends about how spineless Nick Clegg is, to the joy shown about the booing of George Osborne at the Paralympics; the volume of online criticism is unrelenting and overpowering.

Unfortunately for Cameron, the government can't counter this tidal wave of criticism by blaming it on special interest groups or opposition tactics. Twitter is democratically representative and everyone and anyone contributes to it. In this way Twitter truly is a finger in the wind of public opinion. It is in no way manipulated because it is impossible to manipulate. David Cameron's government is taking a very public and vicious beating by the people and it can do nothing about it.

So what about traditional news outlets living in the shadow of Twitter?

Newspapers, which have been traditionally partisan, need to tread carefully in the shadow of Twitter. In the past, news agencies which held the reins of the news agenda would, like the spin doctors, apply their own bias to stories. In doing so they were immensely powerful and influential, able to dictate to some degree how people view and think about stories.

However, with the new democracy offered up by Twitter, news outlets now run a very real risk of being seen as out of kilter with popular opinion as expressed via Twitter. As an example, prior to the arrival of Twitter, the Daily Mail could easily have presented NHS cuts as a good idea and could play down resistance to help support the government in its plans. But would it dare to do the same today when Twitter clearly shows just how unhappy people are with the idea?

The likely outcome is that newspapers, if they want to survive next to Twitter, will need to play down their own bias and pay more attention to what the majority of people are really thinking. The days of newspapers setting agendas is over. They now need to start following instead of leading.

And what about governments?

The same applies to governments. Quite simply they can't get away with things to the degree they did pre-Twitter. Almost every member of the new reshuffled Cabinet has been hauled over the Twitter coals. Past indiscretions of people like Grant Shapps (AKAMichael Green), the new Conservative Party Chairman, has on several occasions trended. In the past these indiscretions would barely have made the news, certainly not in government supporting papers.

People in 2012 don't need to take to the streets in protest. The mass protest march through the streets of London is a thing of the past. Instead, people now take to Twitter. It is quicker, easier and a LOT more effective.

If an election were called tomorrow, David Cameron would lose to a party led by footballing bad boy Joey Barton, such is the unpopularity of his government. This unpopularity is being voiced through Twitter and anti-government momentum is being maintained through Twitter. Cameron stands no chance of getting on top of this situation and will probably be the first Prime Minister to be kicked out by the Twittersphere. His replacement needs to learn the lesson quickly that we, the people, now truly have a voice. We WILL scrutinise and we WILL be heard. And no newspaper is going to tell us what to think anymore.

TOP TIP to tyrannical dictatorships. Ban Twitter NOW or suffer the consequences.