Transcript Issues Forums By Steven Clift, E-Democracy.Org Doug Grow, Most read newspaper columnist Quotes, Council member Carol Johnson: “They've got public officials twisted around their little fingers."

Issues Forums
By Steven Clift, E-Democracy.Org
Doug Grow, Most read
newspaper columnist
Quotes, Council member
Carol Johnson:
“They've got public officials twisted
around their little fingers."
Agenda
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Part 1
Perspective
British Expedition – What they discovered
How Issues Forums Work
Participant Interviews
Issues Forums Today
• Part 2
• Online facilitation in-depth
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Perspective
Defining e-democracy
• E-democracy is:
– the use information and
communication
Political
technologies and
Groups
strategies
– by “democratic
Government
sectors”
– within the political
Media and
processes of local
Commercial
Content
communities, states,
nations and on the
global stage.
– What’s missing?
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Private
Sector
Defining e-democracy
• E-democracy …
– is now, what kind is it?
– is accelerating “as is”
politics
– will promote active
citizen participation
only by taking the “ecitizen” perspective
– E-Democracy.Org
focuses on the that
perspective, reaching
across the political
spectrum, embracing
local geography
Political
Groups
GovernmentE-Citizens
Media and
Commercial
Content
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Private
Sector
Say What?
• “The most democratizing
aspect of the Internet is the
ability for people to organize
and communicate in groups.”
• Steven Clift from Democracy is Online article in,
OnTheInternet, April 1998
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The British Expedition
UK ODPM/E-democracy Project Visit
• July 2004 visit by Office of the
Deputy Prime Minister and UK
Local E-democracy National
Project Visit
• Met forum managers, and
citizen volunteers involved
with local forums in
Minneapolis, St. Paul, and
Winona
• Gathered samples to “plant”
back in the UK in 2005
• National Project overview:
–
http://www.dowire.org/notes/?p=223
Images from Northfield.org Visit
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E-Democracy.Org History
• Launched world’s first electionoriented web site in 1994
• Included citizen-to-citizen
MN-POLITICS e-mail discussion
forum, people kept talking after election
• Model localized with 1998 launch
of Minneapolis Issues Forum
• Volunteer-based, non-profit
community organization
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Why Issues Forums are Needed
• Effective citizen engagement – any time,
anywhere agenda-setting
• Share community knowledge of public
leaders and active citizens with all – civic
learning
• Openness and accountability –
accountability of citizens, the local
media, and government
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Why Issues Forum are Needed
• Globally, most non-partisan “e-democracy” efforts
are government-based, need cost-effective
complement to e-consultations
• Most citizen efforts have an activist view point
and advocate politically – often anti-something
• Many local forums are anonymous rough and
tumble exchanges – “privately owned” spaces,
few offer e-mail options
• Cost-effective starting point – provides e-citizen
foundation for additional activities, priming effort
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Blogofest
Destiny?
• Blogs democratize
media, provide
accountability
• Compared to
forums, most are
highly individualistic
often privately
controlled spaces
with some dialogue
• Need own blog to
join the e-ristocracy
How Issues Forums Work
How Issues Forums Work
Starting with “private” citizens
moving toward public e-citizens
Personal
Networks
C
i
t
i
z
e
n
s
Extensive personal
e-mail networks exist
– friends, family,
co-workers
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
How Issues Forums Work
Local E-Democracy group creates the
public “space”, defines charter (scope)
Personal
Networks
C
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t
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z
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n
s
Issues Forum
GroupServer
e-mails posts
web view
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
How Issues Forums Work
Recruit citizens, councillors,
media, etc. with “sticky” opt-in
Personal
Networks
C
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t
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z
e
n
s
Issues Forum
Subscribe once
Commitment secured
GroupServer
e-mails posts
web view
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
How Issues Forums Work
• Participants agree to rules
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Sign real name
Post no more than twice a day
Stay within scope of local charter
Understand that with two warnings they can be
suspended for two weeks, three warnings six
months, etc..
– Forum is facilitated, NOT pre-moderated, those
posting content are 100% responsible for what
they post
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Position forum
in center of
real power
Personal
Networks
C
i
t
i
z
e
n
s
Researcher
How Issues Forums Work
Issues Forum
Post via e-mail/web
GroupServer
e-mails posts
web view
e-publish,
many-to-many
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Candidate
Leader’s Office
Researcher
Issues Forums
Agenda-setting
discussions, “e-mail
leaks,” facilitation and
rule enforcement key
Personal
Networks
C
i
t
i
z
e
n
s
Online
discussions
in the heart
of local
power
Subscribe once
Commitment secured
Post via e-mail/web
Local Media
Coverage
Issues Forum
GroupServer
e-mails posts
web view
“Secondary
Networks”
e-mail forwards
media agenda-setting
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Candidate
Council
Department
E-Democracy Experience
http://e-democracy.org/experience
Dori from St. Paul
• Active citizens and
“average” citizens raise
their voices
• Ten minute “GSE”
(Gopher State Ethanol)
video at
–
http://e-democracy.org/experience
• Dori Ullman raises her
voice about the stench
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Jamal from Minneapolis
• Large Somali community
in Minneapolis
• Their “voice” was missing
despite past outreach
• Bus strike provided
motivation and real world
reason to join and post to
forum
• Contacted by Mayor,
media after forum posts
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Mayor Rybak from Minneapolis
• In 2001, RT Rybak
announced mayoral
candidacy on forum
before press conference
• Mayor continues to post
~monthly
• Video clips
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The Seven O'clock Meeting
Budget Issues - Informing
Let’s Ski - Gathering Ideas
Two-way Won’t Kill You
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Issues Forums Today
Local Issues Forums Today
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Minneapolis – 694 members
St. Paul – 423 members
Roseville – 134 members, opened July 06
Winona – 197 members
• Brighton and Hove – 242 members
• Newham – 155 members
• KW Nhood, Bristol - 79 mbrs, opened Oct 11
• Other communities are expressing interest,
forming steering committees.
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Brighton & Hove Today
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
GroupServer – E-mail/web
• Easy to find
– By geography
• E-mail or web
- your choice
• Technology
enhancements
– Share through open source
– Leveraging blogging standards, RSS (web feeds)
– More: http://e-democracy.org/groupserver
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Sample Forum – Web View
Entering
reply here
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Sample Forum – E-mail View
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
GroupServer
• Open Source Tool – Value beyond
E-Democracy.Org
• Details and Web Movie
– http://e-democracy.org/groupserver
• Download and Official Home in NZ
– http://groupserver.org
• Building user base and development community
– http://OnlineGroups.Net – Hosting option
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
How to Start One
How to Start One
• Watch “Experience”
– http://e-democracy.org/experience
• Read 60 Page Guidebook
– http://e-democracy.org/if
• Join “Liftoff”
– http://forums.e-democracy.org
• Contact E-Democracy.Org – Join “Class of 2007”
• Volunteer-based model that requires at least 4
citizens on your local steering committee
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
How to Start One
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Quick steps
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Steering committee
Charter and rules
Forum manager
Recruitment
Launch and facilitation
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Recruitment phase essential – if you can attract funding for an
accelerated start-up, this is the a key area to dedicate resources for
inclusivity
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Forum manager volunteer role crucial – avoid professionalizing
core Issues Forum efforts to keep model extremely low cost
•
Add-on special events and consultations may require funding with
stipends or compensation
•
E-Democracy.Org hosts shared GroupServer platform, building
“Rotary Club” like chapter model
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Squirrel Story
Steven Clift posted humorously about
the “public health risks of a large squirrel
population” in the Minneapolis forum’s
early days.
From Southwest Journal newspaper
by Martiga Lohn
> Rocky and his friends are out of
control. … If you want evidence, try
to eat a sandwich on a bench in
Loring Park.
Most days, mpls-issues is a
substantive discussion of important
public policy issues…
However … here are a few excerpts
from this burning issue …
> Quit telling people to move their
nasty attack squirrels to wooded
areas (i.e., Minneapolis parks) — we
already have our fair share.
> Go to hardware store…buy
trap…set track…kill squirrel. End of
public policy question.
> I ran on an anti-squirrel platform
for Student Legislature at Syracuse
University in my freshman year in
college. I promised to eradicate the
nuisance squirrel population. It was
my first election loss.
> Grab a trap and KILL the
squirrel????????? Why must we
destroy a living thing as a solution?
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Conclusion – Part 1
Conclusion – Part 1
• This model is about your local democracy
– it must be authentically local.
• Together we can build a global model for
local democracy in the information age.
• Everything:
– http://e-democracy.org/if
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Part 2
Online Facilitation Lessons
– In-Depth
Additional Models
• E-Debates –
Candidates
(parties) on the
virtual stage for
two weeks
– Four major
themes debated,
rebuttals required
– Ten short answer
questions
– http://edemocracy.org/edebates
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Additional Models
• Voter Voices response to edebate and more - Video,
pictures, blog posts tagged
“mnpolitics”
– http://e-democracy.org/voices
• E-Democracy.Org’s Wiki
– Election links directory
– Community links
– Citizens Guide to St. Paul
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Additional Models
• Online Communities of
Practice
– http://groups.dowire.org
– Also uses GroupServer –
includes e-participation
“Consult” forum, group
on Research etc.
• Online events – timelimited (often 2 to 4
weeks) e-consultations,
online conferences
– http://www.publicus.net/a
rticles/consult.html
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Additional Models
• Community
Blogosphere
– Northfield.Org
– Citizen Media
“blog” with
neutral point of
view
– Aggregator of
local civic blogs
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Small Groups
• Come up with a rule and a technology feature that
would:
– 1. Increase the diversity of opinions
– 2. Increase participation by women/youth/older citizens
– diversity of participants
– 3. Make posting by elected officials more likely
– 4. Increase respect for those with differing opinions,
increase trust or civility among members
– 5. Help readers/posters find value more quickly
– 6. Move participants toward consensus or allow group
to agree on what they disagree about
– 7. Avoid alienating political minorities while allowing
majority positions to become known
– 8. Hold forum managers/hosts more accountable to their
responsibilities
– 9. Troll group – List strategies for destroying an online
community, technologies you prefer
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Your Questions/Challenges
• What do you need to know?
• What are you concerned about?
• Have you had a different experience you’d
like to share?
• There are 5 right ways and 95 wrong
paths. How do you choose which is
better?
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Report Back
• Small groups – Write down:
– One rule
– Best tech idea
• Questions:
– Top question
– Best advice/example
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Recruitment
• Recruit before you open X
weeks
• Virtual door knocking
• Appendix D in Issues
Forum Guide
• Appropriate tech: Paper
• Social inclusion requires
real outreach
• Most efforts fail at
recruitment stage
• Online events need an
e-newsletter
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Who makes a good Forum Manager?
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Sincere belief in value of dialogue
Respect for diverse ideologies
Patience
Thick skin, can handle public criticism
People skills – easier to teach tech skills
Not intimidated by technology
Common sense approach to facilitation,
ability to ask questions, guide
diplomatically, act quickly when required
• Time available, committed
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Forum Management Tasks - 1
• Keeping the space “safe” or civil for all
participants
• Encouraging/enforcing compliance with
forum rules
• Keeping discussions on topic (within
scope or purpose of forum)
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Rules
• Rules summary - http://e-democracy.org/rules
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1. Sign Posts - Use your real name.
2. Limits on Posting - Two per member per day in most forum charters.
3. Keep Topics within Forum Purpose - Local issues on a local forum, for example.
4. Be Civil - This is a public forum with real people. Respect among citizens with
differing views is our cornerstone.
5. No Attacks or Threats - This keeps the forums safe. If content is illegal it will be
forwarded to the proper legal authorities.
6. Private Stays Private - Don't forward private replies without permission.
7. Avoid False Rumors - Asking for clarification of what you've heard in the community
can be appropriate if issues-based. You alone are responsible for what you post.
8. Right to Post and Reply - Sharing your knowledge and opinions with your fellow
citizens is a democratic right.
9. Items Not Allowed in Forums - No attachments, etc.
10. Public Content and Use - You are sharing your content, but you retain your
copyright.
11. Warnings - You may receive informal or official warnings from the Forum Manager.
12. Suspension - With your second official warning in one year, you are suspended for
two weeks. It goes up from there.
13. Appeals Process - You can appeal a warning(s) once you receive a third warning
and six-month removal. About one in 1,500 forum members each year have appealed a
six-month removal in past years.
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Forum Management Tasks - 2
• Welcoming new members
• Managing message volume
– in both unmoderated and moderated forums
• Introducing new topics
– Sharing media/website links
– Asking a question
• Encouraging alternative viewpoints
– Moving discussion along
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Forum Management Tasks - 3
• Supporting and encouraging good
behavior
• Responding to participant questions or
complaints
– Waiting for complaints versus public/private
action
• Ongoing recruitment
• Tasks can be distributed/shared
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Technology
• Using what you get for free versus serving
your democratic needs with adapted tech
– Inserting name and link into e-version of posts
– Technically limiting to 2 posts in 24 hours
– Other ideas?
• GroupServer and Open Source – Also
Drupal, Plone, PHPBB
• Wikis, Blogs, Tagging - Services like
YouTube, Upcoming, Flickr, Technorati
Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if
Final Questions
Done