SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Videos shared on YouTube and blogs scrutinizing candidates are part of an Internet-age revolution shaking up the US presidential election and sweeping in a new political era.

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“Voter-generated content” is credited with helping Senator Barack Obama secure the Democratic presidential nomination.

It is also said to be transforming the essence of US political campaigns and shifting power from party leaders and major media outlets to citizens with camera-enabled mobile phones or simple blogging tools.

“You’re watching the battle between politics of the 20th Century and politics of the 21st Century,” said Andrew Rasiej, founder of the Personal Democracy Forum devoted to exploring how technology is changing politics.

“The battle of old-school or top-down political organizing and the one that believes in bottom-up. You are seeing a fundamental power shift; the Internet allows people to organize themselves.”

Obama’s announcement that he will rely on individual donors instead of public campaign funding is cited as proof of the Internet’s political power.

More than 1.5 million people have donated cash to his effort.

“That shatters all records and has a lot to do with people being mobilized online, and mostly in the blogosphere,” said Mother Jones magazine reporter Josh Harkinson, who tracks “digital democracy” and blogging.

“Weighing in, sharing your political views and donating money are much easier online than ever before.”

Blogs keep people engaged and those who feel connected to campaigns are inclined to give money to influence outcomes, Harkinson said.

The rise of blogging and voter-posted videos also holds danger for candidates, whose every comment and move can be captured and shared online by anyone with a camera phone and basic Internet skills.

Gone are cozy relationships that might result in reporters giving candidates chances to retract or clarify embarrassing or controversial remarks.

“Bloggers have pressure on them to be controversial and different,” said Kevin Wallsten, a California university political science professor writing a book on the role blogging plays in presidential politics.

“The new thing for candidates is you have to be on your game all the time. You can have a Macaca Moment or a Bittergate.”

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