Telegraph launches cloud-based election forum

Newspaper firm places its bets on crowd sourcing

Telegraph's cloud-powered web site will run until polling day

Telegraph Media Group (TMG) has launched a web site supported by cloud technology to map public opinion during the upcoming general election.

The Debate 2010 web site, powered by enterprise cloud supplier Salesforce.com, will enable users to debate topics, post ideas, vote and comment on issues related to areas such as healthcare, education, crime, the economy and foreign affairs.

The technology supporting the site will display the most popular opinions around key issues. Topics that appear critical based on the discussion taking place within the community will form a compilation of UK citizens’ opinions to be sent to MPs and political parties.

Debate 2010 was built and launched in less than four weeks and is based on the technology used in the crowd-sourcing project employed in the US during the Obama-Biden campaign. The web site will run until polling day.

"This is an excellent example of how cloud-based technology can reshape the debate and help to engage public opinion. It could also re-shape the nature of political debate moving forward,” said IDC research manager David Bradshaw.

“Following the US election, capturing social media conversations to determine the mindset of a country proved a powerful phenomenon,” said Bradshaw.

“Another important change is the way that media organisations are moving their business into the cloud to take advantage of the flexibility and scale it offers, and here Telegraph Media Group certainly seems to be in advance of its peers in the UK," he added.

The news follows TMG’s launch of its digital division in November, aimed at driving new revenue streams for the company.