envisioning e-democracy?. technical limits on public input through the internet security vs. privacy...

Envisioning E-Democracy?Envisioning E-Democracy?

Technical Limits on Public Input Technical Limits on Public Input through the Internetthrough the Internet

security vs. privacy conundrumsecurity vs. privacy conundrum identificationidentification

citizenshipcitizenship location/constituencylocation/constituency protect against multiple submissionsprotect against multiple submissions

overload/spamoverload/spam how to sort informationhow to sort information what to do with it?what to do with it?

kooks and crankskooks and cranks effects of Internet annonymityeffects of Internet annonymity

e-Democracy...Potentiale-Democracy...Potential

civic educationcivic educationhelping create better citizenshelping create better citizens

promote political equality by equalizing access promote political equality by equalizing access to political informationto political information

opportunities to reinforce/build communities opportunities to reinforce/build communities of shared interestof shared interest

build social capital, social cohesionbuild social capital, social cohesion


more responsive government servicesmore responsive government services horizontal departmental integration and vertical horizontal departmental integration and vertical

connection to clientsconnection to clients flatter organizational designs and greater autonomy for flatter organizational designs and greater autonomy for

front-line stafffront-line staff

greater accountability of politicians and public greater accountability of politicians and public servantsservants

information on performance more easily available to information on performance more easily available to wider audiencewider audience


promote open government and facilitate inputpromote open government and facilitate inputstrengthened sense of citizen engagement – strengthened sense of citizen engagement –

social cohesionsocial cohesion

e-Democracy...the Obstaclese-Democracy...the Obstacles

elites elites public and private elites have powerful role in the public and private elites have powerful role in the

current policy processcurrent policy process lack of political will to really open up decision-making lack of political will to really open up decision-making

to outside playersto outside players lack of familiarity and comfort with ICTs among public lack of familiarity and comfort with ICTs among public

sector leaderssector leaders

general publicgeneral public lack of interest, knowledge, willingness to participate in lack of interest, knowledge, willingness to participate in

the policy processthe policy process lack of familiarity and comfort with ICTs among public lack of familiarity and comfort with ICTs among public

(especially older generations)(especially older generations)

e-Democracy...Dangerse-Democracy...Dangers

will reinforce existing inequalitieswill reinforce existing inequalities– digital dividedigital divide– questions...questions...

who is excluded?who is excluded? how effective are policies to facilitate inclusion?how effective are policies to facilitate inclusion? is e-government any more exclusionary than current is e-government any more exclusionary than current

governing processes?governing processes?


centralization of control over informationcentralization of control over information– surveillancesurveillance

easily allows government to monitor groups without easily allows government to monitor groups without their knowledgetheir knowledge

– privacy issuesprivacy issues– security issuessecurity issues


will eliminate intermediaries between will eliminate intermediaries between government and citizensgovernment and citizens

legislators, political partieslegislators, political parties


will eliminate intermediaries between will eliminate intermediaries between government and citizensgovernment and citizens

legislators, political partieslegislators, political parties mediamedia

– makes democracy fastermakes democracy faster Bill Gates: “...information technology allows for Bill Gates: “...information technology allows for

business at the speed of the thought.”business at the speed of the thought.” government at the speed of ___________?government at the speed of ___________?


will eliminate intermediaries between gov’t & will eliminate intermediaries between gov’t & citizenscitizens– but, need government at the speed of but, need government at the speed of civic civic

engagementengagementmeaningful exchange and public deliberationmeaningful exchange and public deliberationforging compromiseforging compromisedeveloping social cohesiondeveloping social cohesion

– governments’ ability to “make tough governments’ ability to “make tough decisions stick”decisions stick”

– ...is “good” democracy too slow for the ...is “good” democracy too slow for the Internet?Internet?


will eliminate intermediaries between will eliminate intermediaries between gov’t & citizensgov’t & citizens– digital reasoning is binary – yes vs. no choicesdigital reasoning is binary – yes vs. no choices

political reasoning in a democracy must be complex, political reasoning in a democracy must be complex, nuanced, and accommodating of differencesnuanced, and accommodating of differences


will eliminate intermediaries between will eliminate intermediaries between gov’t & citizensgov’t & citizens– are intermediaries necessary for good democracy?are intermediaries necessary for good democracy?

meaningful exchange and public deliberationmeaningful exchange and public deliberationforging compromiseforging compromisedeveloping social cohesiondeveloping social cohesion

– governments’ ability to “make tough decisions governments’ ability to “make tough decisions stick”stick”


promote fragmentation and the loss of social promote fragmentation and the loss of social cohesioncohesion– governments focused on service delivery (rather governments focused on service delivery (rather

than participation) reinforcing a shallow than participation) reinforcing a shallow conception of citizen as customerconception of citizen as customer

envisioning e-democracy?. technical limits on public input through the internet security vs. privacy...

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