Citizens 2.0 – Defining our democratic future together.

e-democracy.org

Citizens 2.0 –

Defining our democratic future together.

Steven Clift, Founder and Board Chair

E-Democracy.Org

e-democracy.org

Hola/Hello

•It all started in 1994 …

e-democracy.org

A new Athens for Democracy?

e-democracy.org

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Building Democracy and Community Online

• I-35W Bridge Collapse over Mississippi River

• It could have been anyone.

• Community shared their stories, offered help via Internet.

• E-Democracy.Org forums provide vital space for discussion.

• Collaborative "wiki" created content commons.

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Frustration Today

• Failure of technological determinism

• People expect two-way, those in power still one-way

• Private lives dominate "public life" online

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Opportunity

• Realistic, incremental change -trial and error improvements

• Technology and tools advancing - Internet always on, everywhere, in everything

• Rule of law and funding priorities in government, media, and civil society

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Links to Everything

• From:

–http://stevenclift.com

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Speech Overview

• Introduction• Quick Statistics• Top contributions to democracy

online– Candidates and campaigns– Government– Media– Citizens

• Conclusion

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Quick Statistics

• More. More. More.

• Dramatic sounding number here.

• Reality – everyday more people are using the Internet and mobile communication in politics and community than the day before.

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Quick Statistics• OK, some real numbers from PewInternet.Org:

• 92 million American adults use government Websites• 75 million used internet in connection with the political campaign - 04

– 64 million did so in 2006 (mid-term election)• 52 million use the internet to research policy issues• 38 million have sent email to government officials to try change policies• 32 million have emailed jokes about candidates• 26 million use the internet for news about politics on average day in

2006, up 140% from 2002• 25 million fact-checked the candidates online in 2006• 24 million have participated in organized lobbying campaigns• 21 million have watched political videos online (as of February, 2007)• 15 million consulted issue-oriented Websites in 2006• 14 million were political content creators and sharers in 2006• 14 million read political and media blogs• 13 million consulted candidate sites in 2006• 4 million donated to candidates online in 2006• 2 million write about politics on their blogs

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Recent Articles

• Ten Practical Online Steps for Government Support of Democracy

• Part of new 47 page U.S. government publication aboute-democracy. See: stevenclift.com

• UK Local E-Democracy Project – See: www.e-democracy.gov.uk

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Candidates and campaigns

1. Organize your supporters

2. Generate multimedia and spread it

3. Shake hands at the digital parades of online social networks and groups

• Seeking power and influence online

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Made for Internet Candidate in 98 – Jesse Ventura, former Governor of

Minnesota

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Organize Supporters – Gather E-mail

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Communicate with supporters, introduce the candidate

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Activate Supporters

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Involve Supporters Locally

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Digital Parade – Social Networks

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Digital parade -TechPresident.com

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Who is number one? Colbert!

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Online Debates – Video Questions

• YouTube/CNN – Citizen questions selected by editors. Response via TV.

• 10Questions.com – Citizen questions voted on by public. Online video answers.

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Following the Online Campaign

• Some great “politics as sport” sites:

–TechPresident.com

–ePolitics.com

–PoliticsOnline.com

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Government Support for Democracy Online

1. Timely, personalized access to information that matters

2. Moving from government innovators to universal rule of law

3. Informing voters and improving election process

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E-mail notices in St. Paul

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Alberta Gov’s Web Feeds

• Those little orange icons

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Deep Access and Accountability• Estonia’s Today I Decide, Document

Register, X-Road (below)

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UK Prime Minister’s e-Petitions

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Live Rural Villages Town Meeting, India –

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Democracy Portal with “e-democracy” policy, Queensland, Australia

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Gov Voter Guides in Korea

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Mobile Photos to Enforce Anti-Corruption Election Laws

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Media Support for Democracy Online

1. One click to comment to reporter

2. Create vibrant convening window into area politics

3. Promote government sunshine, transparency

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Convene Across Partisan Divide – Left/Right Blogger Links in U.S.

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Reuse Government Data

– Make Useful

Crime Data in Chicago

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Top Five Citizen "to dos" for Democracy Online

1. Build our public lives online2. Get candidates to make public

promises3. Contribute time or money online4. Request information service and

new government vision5. Demand truly public spaces online,

build local up

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Private Spaces with “Public” Qualities – v. Online Public Spaces

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Like Minds Organize Easily

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For the Non-Dog Lover

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Need Public Spaces – Online Versions of Town Halls, Capitols

• Online public spaces, not just “public” commercial spaces

• Need for decorum, civility, agenda-setting, relevance, accountability

<- The Minnesota Capitol Rotunda

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Creating Public Space

- Issues Forums

City Hall

“SecondaryNetworks”

e-mail forwards Civil Society

PersonalNetworks

Local MediaCoverage

Librarian

Reporte

rArt

s G

roup

City Councilor

Neighbor #2

Local Biz

Nei

ghbo

r #1

City Staff

Neighborhood Leader

Renter

Forum M

anager

Neighb

or #2

00Po

lice

Citizens

Issues ForumGroupServer e-mails posts

web viewSubscribe onceCommitment securedPost via e-mail/web

New Resident

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Issues Forums – E-Democracy.OrgRecent Topics

• Local schools• Support for area war veterans• Neighborhood park changes• Water quality and shortage• Crime and policing• Candidates and elections• Feral cat problem• Racetrack noise pollution

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Conclusion

• Build democracy with the new tools of today.

• Links, blog/e-newsletter, online groups, and more from http://stevenclift.com