DESIGNING AN ONLINE CIVIC PARTICIPATION PLATFORM Socio-Computational Supports for Finding, Enlisting, and Motivating Contributors Elizabeth L. Murnane [email protected]
Jul 04, 2015
DESIGNING AN ONLINE CIVIC PARTICIPATION PLATFORM Socio-Computational Supports for Finding, Enlisting, and Motivating Contributors
Today’s Presentation
• Introduc:on!
• eGovernment!&!eRulemaking!background!
• Cornell!eBRulemaking!Ini:a:ve,!Regula:onRoom!• Recruitment!of!(underBrepresented)!stakeholders!• Facilita:ng!engagement!&!collabora:on!• Assessing!quality!&!value!of!par:cipa:on!
About Me Research(• Interests:!User!Modeling;!Recommender!Systems;!Social!Compu:ng!• Domains:!Mental!&!Physical!Health,!Civic!Innova:on!!
Current(• PhD!student!B!Cornell!Informa:on!Science!(2011Bpresent)!• CommiVee:!Profs.!Dan!Cosley!(chair),!Claire!Cardie,!Geri!Gay!!
Background(• MIT!S.B.!in!Mathema:cs!with!Computer!Science,!2007!• CoBfounder!of!MIT!CSAIL!startup,!2007B2011!
• NSF!Graduate!Research!Fellow,!2011!
(
Background • “eBGovernment”,!“Open!Government”!!
• Goals!• alert!and!engage!ci:zens!• increase!informa:on!access!• provide!interac:ve!discussion!spaces!with!lowered!barriers!for!engagement!that!welcome!diverse!opinions!
!
• In!prac:ce!• redundant,!irrelevant,!polarized!content!• policymakers!&!ci:zens!frustrated!
Background • “eBGovernment”,!“Open!Government”!!
• Goals!• alert!and!engage!ci:zens!• increase!informa:on!access!• provide!interac:ve!discussion!spaces!with!lowered!barriers!for!engagement!that!welcome!diverse!opinions!
!
• In!prac:ce!• redundant,!irrelevant,!polarized!content!• policymakers!&!ci:zens!frustrated!
Background • “eBGovernment”,!“Open!Government”!!
• Goals!• alert!and!engage!ci:zens!• increase!informa:on!access!• provide!interac:ve!discussion!spaces!with!lowered!barriers!for!engagement!that!welcome!diverse!opinions!
!
• In!prac:ce!• redundant,!irrelevant,!polarized!content!• policymakers!&!ci:zens!frustrated!
Rulemaking
• Rulemaking:!process!federal!agencies!use!to!create!regula:ons!(“rules”)!• Public!no:ce!!!open!comment!period!!!agency!evalua:on!• 2001B2010:!over!38,000!rules!finalized!• 2003B2010:!568!major!rules!with!$100!million!economic!effect!• Tradi:onally!dominated!by!sophis:cated!and!resourced!en::es!
!• e5Rulemaking:!the!use!of!digital!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!technologies!to!support!this!process!• S:ll!poses!barriers!that!prevent!effec:ve,!broad!engagement!from!ci:zens!
Rulemaking
• Rulemaking:!process!federal!agencies!use!to!create!regula:ons!(“rules”)!• Public!no:ce!!!open!comment!period!!!agency!evalua:on!• 2001B2010:!over!38,000!rules!finalized!• 2003B2010:!568!major!rules!with!$100!million!economic!effect!• Tradi:onally!dominated!by!sophis:cated!and!resourced!en::es!
!• e5Rulemaking:!the!use!of!digital!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!technologies!to!support!this!process!• S:ll!poses!barriers!that!prevent!effec:ve,!broad!engagement!from!ci:zens!
Rulemaking
• Rulemaking:!process!federal!agencies!use!to!create!regula:ons!(“rules”)!• Public!no:ce!!!open!comment!period!!!agency!evalua:on!• 2001B2010:!over!38,000!rules!finalized!• 2003B2010:!568!major!rules!with!$100!million!economic!effect!• Tradi:onally!dominated!by!sophis:cated!and!resourced!en::es!
!• e5Rulemaking:!the!use!of!digital!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!technologies!to!support!this!process!• S:ll!poses!barriers!that!prevent!effec:ve,!broad!engagement!from!ci:zens!
CeRI: Cornell eRulemaking Initiative • Mul:Bdisciplinary!team!
• Law!school,!Legal!Informa:on!Ins:tute,!Scheinman!Ins:tute!on!Conflict!Resolu:on,!Communica:on,!Informa:on!Science,!Computer!Science!
• Addressing!behavioral!&!technical!challenges!• Social!+!behavioral!sciences,!NLP,!HCI!
RegulationRoom.org
RegulationRoom.org
Since!2010!launch:!• 5!rulemakings!• DOT,!CFPB!partnerships!
• Recogni:on!!
Civic Engagement Cycle
2
1 3
• Collaboration • Summarization • Consensus
• Identify stakeholders • Target • Motivate
• Learn • Question • Contribute
Civic Engagement Cycle • Learn • Question • Contribute
2
1 3
• Collaboration • Summarization • Consensus
• Identify stakeholders • Target • Motivate
Civic Engagement Cycle
2
1 3
• Collaboration • Summarization • Consensus
• Identify stakeholders • Target • Motivate
• Learn • Question • Contribute
Civic Engagement Cycle
2
1 3
• Collaboration • Summarization • Consensus
• Identify stakeholders • Target • Motivate
• Learn • Question • Contribute
Participation Patterns
Since 2010: • 40,500 visitors made 60,000 site visits • 1,566 registered users • 5 separate hosted rulemakings • 1,544 individuals participated in various forms • 609 actively engaged in deliberation • 1,537 total comments generated • 80% of participants never took part in a rulemaking
prior
Hurdles to civic engagement
1. Motivated awareness barrier
2. Information barrier
3. Participation literacy barrier
Hurdles to civic engagement
1. Motivated awareness barrier
2. Information barrier
3. Participation literacy barrier
Hurdles to civic engagement
1. Motivated awareness barrier
2. Information barrier
3. Participation literacy barrier
Hurdles to civic engagement
1. Motivated awareness barrier
2. Information barrier
3. Participation literacy barrier
Hurdles to civic engagement
1. Motivated awareness barrier
2. Information barrier
3. Participation literacy barrier
Overcoming the Hurdles Recruitment((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Delibera8ve(
Discussion(Consensus5Building(
Bringing!in!underrepresented!
stakeholders!
Facilita:ng!informed!
delibera:on!
Suppor:ng!the!move!to!
collabora:on!and!consensusBbuilding!
Iden:fying!social!and!psychological!drivers!of!
effec:ve!civic!engagement!(Social!science),
NLP!techniques!to!support!effec:ve!civic!engagement!
(Computer!Science)!,
Designing!to!support!the!cycle!of!civic!engagement!!
(HCI),
Overcoming the Hurdles Recruitment((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Delibera8ve(
Discussion(Consensus5Building(
Bringing(in(underrepresented(
stakeholders(
Facilita:ng!informed!
delibera:on!
Suppor:ng!the!move!to!
collabora:on!and!consensusBbuilding!
Iden:fying!social!and!psychological!drivers!of!
effec:ve!civic!engagement!(Social!science),
NLP!techniques!to!support!effec:ve!civic!engagement!
(Computer!Science)!,
Designing!to!support!the!cycle!of!civic!engagement!!
(HCI),
Overcoming the Hurdles Recruitment((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Delibera8ve(
Discussion(Consensus5Building(
Bringing!in!underrepresented!
stakeholders!
Facilita8ng(informed(
delibera8on(
Suppor:ng!the!move!to!
collabora:on!and!consensusBbuilding!
Iden:fying!social!and!psychological!drivers!of!
effec:ve!civic!engagement!(Social!science),
NLP!techniques!to!support!effec:ve!civic!engagement!
(Computer!Science)!,
Designing!to!support!the!cycle!of!civic!engagement!!
(HCI),
Overcoming the Hurdles Recruitment((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Delibera8ve(
Discussion(Consensus5Building(
Bringing!in!underrepresented!
stakeholders!
Facilita:ng!informed!
delibera:on!
Suppor8ng(the(move(to(
collabora8on(and(consensus5building(
Iden:fying!social!and!psychological!drivers!of!
effec:ve!civic!engagement!(Social!science),
NLP!techniques!to!support!effec:ve!civic!engagement!
(Computer!Science)!,
Designing!to!support!the!cycle!of!civic!engagement!!
(HCI),
Overcoming the Hurdles Recruitment((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Delibera8ve(
Discussion(Consensus5Building(
Bringing!in!underrepresented!
stakeholders!
Facilita:ng!informed!
delibera:on!
Suppor:ng!the!move!to!
collabora:on!and!consensusBbuilding!
Iden:fying!social!and!psychological!drivers!of!
effec:ve!civic!engagement!(Social(science)!
NLP!techniques!to!support!effec:ve!civic!engagement!
(Computer(Science)(!
Designing!to!support!the!cycle!of!civic!engagement!!
(HCI)!
Hurdles to civic engagement
1. Motivated awareness barrier
2. Information barrier
3. Participation literacy barrier
Motivated Awareness
• Communica8ons(outreach(plan(• Iden:fy!stakeholders!• Outreach!–!email,!phone,!online!communica:on!• Social!&!online!media!–!TwiVer,!Facebook,!Google!ads!
• Coordinated!media!outreach!• Framing!(pos!vs.!neg;!loss!vs.!gain;!episodic!vs.!thema:c)!
• Personal!stake!• Par:cipa:on!efficacy!
• Leveraging!exis:ng!social!networks!• Peer!referencing!• Peer!generated!invites!vs.!authority!figure!invites!
Motivated Awareness
• Communica8ons(outreach(plan(• Iden:fy!stakeholders!• Outreach!–!email,!phone,!online!communica:on!• Social!&!online!media!–!TwiVer,!Facebook,!Google!ads!
• Coordinated!media!outreach!• Framing!(pos!vs.!neg;!loss!vs.!gain;!episodic!vs.!thema:c)!
• Personal!stake!• Par:cipa:on!efficacy!
• Leveraging!exis:ng!social!networks!• Peer!referencing!• Peer!generated!invites!vs.!authority!figure!invites!
Motivated Awareness
• Communica:ons!outreach!plan!• Iden:fy!stakeholders!• Outreach!–!email,!phone,!online!communica:on!• Social!&!online!media!–!TwiVer,!Facebook,!Google!ads!
• Coordinated(media(outreach(• Framing!(pos!vs.!neg;!loss!vs.!gain;!episodic!vs.!thema:c)!
• Personal!stake!• Par:cipa:on!efficacy!
• Leveraging!exis:ng!social!networks!• Peer!referencing!• Peer!generated!invites!vs.!authority!figure!invites!
Motivated Awareness
• Communica:ons!outreach!plan!• Iden:fy!stakeholders!• Outreach!–!email,!phone,!online!communica:on!• Social!&!online!media!–!TwiVer,!Facebook,!Google!ads!
• Coordinated!media!outreach!• Framing!(pos!vs.!neg;!loss!vs.!gain;!episodic!vs.!thema:c)!
• Personal!stake!• Par:cipa:on!efficacy!
• Leveraging!exis:ng!social!networks!• Peer!referencing!• Peer!generated!invites!vs.!authority!figure!invites!
Motivated Awareness
• Communica:ons!outreach!plan!• Iden:fy!stakeholders!• Outreach!–!email,!phone,!online!communica:on!• Social!&!online!media!–!TwiVer,!Facebook,!Google!ads!
• Coordinated!media!outreach!• Framing!(pos!vs.!neg;!loss!vs.!gain;!episodic!vs.!thema:c)!
• Personal!stake!• Par:cipa:on!efficacy!
• Leveraging(exis8ng(social(networks(• Peer!referencing!• Peer!generated!invites!vs.!authority!figure!invites!
Hurdles to civic engagement
1. Motivated awareness barrier
2. Information barrier
3. Participation literacy barrier
Accessibility
• No:ces!of!proposed!rulemaking!(NPRMs)!• Economic!analyses!!
" Triage!!" Transla:on!" Layering!
Accessibility
• No:ces!of!proposed!rulemaking!(NPRMs)!• Economic!analyses!!
" Triage!!" Transla:on!" Layering!
Accessibility
• No:ces!of!proposed!rulemaking!(NPRMs)!• Economic!analyses!!
" Triage!!" Transla:on!" Layering!
Triage
Translation • Airline!regula:on!=!25,000!word!No:ce!of!Proposed!Rulemaking!(NPRM)!+!34,000!word!CostBBenefit!Analysis!
• Home!mortgage!NPRM!>!800!manuscript!pages!• Graduate!school!level!readability!score!!
In!addi:on,!the!Bureau!has!the!authority!to,!amer!considering!enumerated!factors,!condi:onally!or!uncondi:onally!exempt!any!class!of!covered!persons,!service!providers,!or!consumer!financial!products!or!services!from!any!provision!of!this!:tle,!or!from!any!rule!issued!under!this!:tle,!as!the!Bureau!determines!necessary!or!appropriate!to!carry!out!the!purposes!and!objec:ves!of!this!:tle![:tle!X!of!the!DoddBFrank!Act].!
Consumers!have!the!right!to!dispute!a!debt!in!collec:on,!and!both!FTC!and!CFPB!get!a!lot!of!complaints!that!collectors!have!the!wrong!debtor!or!are!trying!to!collect!more!than!what's!owed.!
vs.!From!an!original!NPRM! From!a!translated!NPRM!
Layering
Hurdles to civic engagement
1. Motivated awareness barrier
2. Information barrier
3. Participation literacy barrier
Facilitating Participation
• Educa:onal!materials!• Targeted!commen:ng!• Facilita:ve!modera:on!• Site!design!
Educational Materials
Targeted Commenting
Targeted Commenting
Facilitative Moderation
Facilitative Moderation
Site Design
• Suppor:ng!moderator!efforts!&!communica:ng!norms!• “Endorse”!func:on!• “Recommend”!func:on!
Site Design
• Suppor:ng!moderator!efforts!&!communica:ng!norms!• “Endorse”!func:on!• “Recommend”!func:on!
• Teaching!community!and!commen:ng!norms!
Site Design
• Suppor:ng!moderator!efforts!&!communica:ng!norms!• “Endorse”!func:on!• “Recommend”!func:on!
• Teaching!community!and!commen:ng!norms!• Increasing!the!visible!value!of!contribu:on!
• Trivia!challenges,!points,!badges,!rewards!
Editing Interfaces
• Wri:ng!support!• Collabora:on!• Policymakers!• Advancement!
Editing Interfaces
• Wri8ng(support(• Collabora:on!• Policymakers!• Advancement!
Editing Interfaces
• Wri:ng!support!• Collabora8on(• Policymakers!• Advancement!
Editing Interfaces
• Wri:ng!support!• Collabora:on!• Policymakers(• Advancement(
Editing Interfaces
• Wri:ng!support!• Collabora:on!• Policymakers!• Advancement(
Mechanical Turk study
• Members:!core,!ac:ve,!peripheral,!outsiders!• Mo:va:ng!peripheral!members!to!increase!ac:vity!• Manipulate!commen:ng!interface!to!prompt!contribu:on!
• Study!par:cipants:!Mechanical!Turk!Workers!• Opportunity!
• Worker!challenges,!mo:va:ons,!communi:es!• Experiences,!astudes!regarding!Amazon!policies!
Mechanical Turk study
• Members:!core,!ac:ve,!peripheral,!outsiders!• Mo:va:ng!peripheral!members!to!increase!ac:vity!• Manipulate!commen:ng!interface!to!prompt!contribu:on!
• Study!par:cipants:!Mechanical!Turk!Workers!• Opportunity!
• Worker!challenges,!mo:va:ons,!communi:es!• Experiences,!astudes!regarding!Amazon!policies!
Mechanical Turk study
• Members:!core,!ac:ve,!peripheral,!outsiders!• Mo:va:ng!peripheral!members!to!increase!ac:vity!• Manipulate!commen:ng!interface!to!prompt(contribu8on(
• Study!par:cipants:!Mechanical!Turk!Workers!• Opportunity!
• Worker!challenges,!mo:va:ons,!communi:es!• Experiences,!astudes!regarding!Amazon!policies!
Mechanical Turk study
• Members:!core,!ac:ve,!peripheral,!outsiders!• Mo:va:ng!peripheral!members!to!increase!ac:vity!• Manipulate!commen:ng!interface!to!prompt!contribu:on!
• Study!par:cipants:!Mechanical(Turk(Workers(• Opportunity!
• Worker!challenges,!mo:va:ons,!communi:es!• Experiences,!astudes!regarding!Amazon!policies!
Mechanical Turk study
• Members:!core,!ac:ve,!peripheral,!outsiders!• Mo:va:ng!peripheral!members!to!increase!ac:vity!• Manipulate!commen:ng!interface!to!prompt!contribu:on!
• Study!par:cipants:!Mechanical!Turk!Workers!• Opportunity(
• Worker!challenges,!mo:va:ons,!communi:es!• Experiences,!astudes!regarding!Amazon!policies!
Measuring Engagement • Standard(web(analy8cs(
• #!of!visitors,!comments,!page!views!
• Volume!of!new!voices!• 64%!<!volume!<!98%!
• Civic!educa:on!• Value!to!policymakers!
• Public!comments!cited!in!both!finalized!rules!• Incorporate!public!comments!despite!industry!opposi:on!• In!airline!rule,!cited!comments!appear!in!almost!20!different!sec:ons!of!agency’s!discussion!of!new!rule!
Measuring Engagement • Standard!web!analy:cs!
• #!of!visitors,!comments,!page!views!
• Volume(of(new(voices(• 64%!<!volume!<!98%!
• Civic!educa:on!• Value!to!policymakers!
• Public!comments!cited!in!both!finalized!rules!• Incorporate!public!comments!despite!industry!opposi:on!• In!airline!rule,!cited!comments!appear!in!almost!20!different!sec:ons!of!agency’s!discussion!of!new!rule!
Measuring Engagement • Standard!web!analy:cs!
• #!of!visitors,!comments,!page!views!
• Volume!of!new!voices!• 64%!<!volume!<!98%!
• Civic(educa8on(• Value!to!policymakers!
• Public!comments!cited!in!both!finalized!rules!• Incorporate!public!comments!despite!industry!opposi:on!• In!airline!rule,!cited!comments!appear!in!almost!20!different!sec:ons!of!agency’s!discussion!of!new!rule!
Measuring Engagement • Standard!web!analy:cs!
• #!of!visitors,!comments,!page!views!
• Volume!of!new!voices!• 64%!<!volume!<!98%!
• Civic!educa:on!• Value(to(policymakers(
• Public!comments!cited!in!both!finalized!rules!• Incorporate!public!comments!despite!industry!opposi:on!• In!airline!rule,!cited!comments!appear!in!almost!20!different!sec:ons!of!agency’s!discussion!of!new!rule!
To Conclude…
• Challenges!are!social,!psychological,!procedural,!technological!!
To Conclude…
• Challenges!are!social,!psychological,!procedural,!technological!!• Must!iden:fy!and!nurture!required!capabili:es!
To Conclude…
• Challenges!are!social,!psychological,!procedural,!technological!!• Must!iden:fy!and!nurture!required!capabili:es!• More!projects!to!determine!strategies!and!resources!to!sa:sfy!both!policymakers!&!ci:zens!
To Conclude…
• Challenges!are!social,!psychological,!procedural,!technological!!• Must!iden:fy!and!nurture!required!capabili:es!• More!projects!to!determine!strategies!and!resources!to!sa:sfy!both!policymakers!&!ci:zens!
Thank(you!(Ques:ons,!feedback,!and!guidance!welcome!