Yahoo! has harnessed the power of social media and developed a first-of-its-kind election-dedicated microsite called Purple Thumb (www.yourpurplethumb.com). The Purple Thumb microsite gives Filipino voters the opportunity to share user-generated content, images, videos and views on the 2010 Philippine election. The microsite leverages top Yahoo! properties Yahoo! Answers and Meme.

Filipino voters can join real-time election conversation on the Purple Thumb microsite; discover more about the Presidential candidates, and share election images on Meme. Yahoo! Philippines also works with media partners ABS-CBN, Philstar.com and Manila Bulletin, as well as bloggers and local NGOs to deliver balanced coverage of the election on the microsite.

The advent of social media has extended the democratic process to the digital space, allowing people to socialize with one another and at the same time gather news and information. With the help of social media tools, the rules of engagement have changed. Now, with Internet access, anyone can be an online researcher, publisher and broadcaster.

Yahoo!, where over 600 million people visit every month, aims to bring together social experiences from across the web on a single place. Communities tied together by services such as Twitter, Facebook and Friendster are changing the way people gather news online.

The consumption of news has shifted from discovering "what happened" to finding out "what's happening right now." News is no longer one-sided, it is now a two-way conversation which connects online users and invites them to influence the creation of news as it happens.

"We believe that social media serves as an important platform in the coming elections. With the help of our content partners, the Purple Thumb microsite will bring to the Filipino people the most comprehensive election news as it happens," explained Jack Madrid, Yahoo! Philippines country general manager. "Not only do they receive the most updated news, the microsite also provides a platform to freely discuss opinions, share images, content and up to the minute news," added Madrid.

He cited examples on how social media has the power to influence politics and its possible risks, ethical concerns, and impact on the Philippines. "It all boils down to trust, the person you'll listen to." Yahoo! believes social media should inspire people, give Filipinos a voice. It is all about building communities like Purple Thumb, where Filipinos are given a venue to discuss issues."

Meanwhile, Alan Soon, Yahoo! Southeast Asia managing editor, shared a presentation on how social media is changing the news, its delivery, and the journalism profession.

"Social media brought about the 'now' revolution where we see the rise of news shepherds, someone using their own personal brand, someone trusted. If the news is important enough, it will find me," explained Soon.

He added that in today's news journey, the basics haven't changed as far as journalism goes what has changed is that news is now an open dialogue and people now engage with the news.

Soon’s tips for covering the election: Get the basics right. Be quick, but be right. Shepherd the community. Seed dialogue," he said.

To launch the microsite, Yahoo! Philippines staged a forum, "Tapping the groundswell: How social media will change the way elections are covered" that drilled down topics from campaigning through social media to integrating social media tools in the newsroom. The forum gathered an impressive roster of speakers: political blogger Ellen Tordesillas; bloggers Manolo Quezon III, Janette Toral and Noemi Dado; Comelec James Jimenez representative Sonia Tiongson; blogger/lawmaker Mong Palatino; Joseph Estrada Campaign team spokesperson Margaux Salcedo and social media planner Jay Puzon; RockEd's Gang Badoy; GMAnews.tv Editor Howie Severino; Philstar.com GM Katrina Sandejas-Mañosa; and Abs-cbnnews.com Head of Social Media Arlene Burgos.