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The Social Civic Nudge
It seems like such a simple idea – people are talking to each other online and they are even talking to each other about civic issues – surely we can use the social web to increase levels of democratic participation?
Anyone who is interested in using the social web to effect levels of citizen engagement is following this train of thought – and there are already many really interesting trials and pilots in place. Online is not the only potential solution to the problem of how to engage people in the democratic process but many factors make it a good place to start. However so many projects start to drift towards the 'just another website' zone rather than really looking at how to really use social media to make a difference to democracy.
To read more, please visit our blog which can be found here.
Anyone who is interested in using the social web to effect levels of citizen engagement is following this train of thought – and there are already many really interesting trials and pilots in place. Online is not the only potential solution to the problem of how to engage people in the democratic process but many factors make it a good place to start. However so many projects start to drift towards the 'just another website' zone rather than really looking at how to really use social media to make a difference to democracy.
To read more, please visit our blog which can be found here.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Kirsty Russell on January 26, 2010 at 2:46pm - Hi Phil. I have fixed the link now so you can view the whole article. We are still in the middle of organising the event so haven't actually started inviting anyone to it yet, we are currently just looking for facilitators which is what you saw on the blog. Kirsty
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Comment by Phil Green on January 26, 2010 at 2:36pm
- Hi Kirsty, followed the link, but there seemed to be something there about an event which if I understand correctly may be an invitation only event? If so, this doesn't seem to me very much like using whatever it is you're doing to increase levels of democratic participation? Or am I missing something?
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Comment by David Wilcox on January 25, 2010 at 1:57pm
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Focussing further on the issue of the architecture of choice ... Paul Evans has just posted a challenging piece: "A way of involving the 'hard-to-reach' groups and the expenser of the 'hard-to-avoids'"
"Via Mick Phythian, I’ve just seen this (shorter version: people don’t use interactive services because it undervalues their time, ‘valuing it at zero’- face-to-face is a more reliable ideal, and the utility calculation has to be positive before people will take online options. If buying something online saves you £20 then you may take the risk accordingly)
Slow-loading screens weed out all but the most determined
So people using the Internet for online transactions will only put the time in if it’s worthwhile to them, is this true for people going online to ‘have their say’? If they get some utility out of it (be it lower taxes / regulatory burdens or a sense of self-satisfaction in doing the right thing)? If we apply this to e-participation, the only conclusion that we can draw is that it will tend towards creating an auction house where policy is driven either by self-interest of self-satisfaction. Or, put another way, the dictatorship of the greedy and the smug."
The general point is, I think, that we need to go to the place people are (which may be there phones), provide simple ways to engage, with rewards or clear benefits, if we want to get beyond the online enthusiasts.
Thanks for opening such an interesting discussion.
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