Issues Forums By Steven Clift, E-Democracy.Org

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Agenda Introduction British Expedition How Issues Forums Work Participant Interviews UK Pilots and Products Analysis UK Panel and Discussion GroupServer Demonstration What’s Next for Issues Forums in the UK?

DQ

Doug Grow, Most read newspaper columnist Quotes, Council member Carol Johnson: “They've got public officials twisted around their little fingers."

The British Expedition

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net UK ODPM/E-democracy Project Visit July 2004 visit by ODPM 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 Images from Northfield.org Visit

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net E-Democracy.Org History Launched world’s first election-oriented web site in 1994 Included citizen-to-citizen MN-POLITICS discussion forum, people kept talking Model localized with 1998 launch of Minneapolis Issues Forum Volunteer-based, non-profit community organization

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net 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 Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Why Issues Forum are Needed Most non-partisan “e-democracy” efforts are government-based, need cost-effective complement to e-consultations Most citizen efforts have a view point and advocate politically – often anti-something Many local forums are anonymous rough and tumble exchanges – “privately owned” spaces, few offer options Cost-effective starting point – provides e-citizen foundation for additional activities like …

How Issues Forums Work

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Personal Networks CitizensCitizens Starting with “private” citizens moving toward public e-citizens Extensive personal networks exist – friends, family, co-workers How Issues Forums Work

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Local E-Democracy group creates the public “space”, defines charter (scope) Personal Networks CitizensCitizens Issues Forum GroupServer s posts web view How Issues Forums Work

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Personal Networks CitizensCitizens Issues Forum GroupServer s posts web view Subscribe once Commitment secured Recruit citizens, councillors, media, etc. with “sticky” opt-in How Issues Forums Work

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net How Issues Forums Work Participants agree to rules –Sign real name –Post no more than twice a day –Stay within scope of 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 Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Position forum in center of real power Personal Networks Political Activist Reporter Citizen #1 Mayor Citizen #2 Candidate Researcher City Council Neighborhood Leader Student Forum Manager Citizen #500 Crazy Person CitizensCitizens Issues Forum GroupServer s posts web view Post via /web e-publish, many-to-many How Issues Forums Work

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net How Forums Rock and Roll Agenda-setting discussions, “ leaks,” facilitation and rule enforcement key Leader’s Office “Secondary Networks” forwards media agenda-setting Council Department Personal Networks Local Media Coverage Political Activist Reporter Citizen #1 Mayor Citizen #2 Candidate Researcher City Council Neighborhood Leader Student Forum Manager Citizen #500 Crazy Person CitizensCitizens Issues Forum GroupServer s posts web view Online discussions in the heart of local power Subscribe once Commitment secured Post via /web

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Dori from St. Paul Active citizens and “average” citizens raise their voices Ten minute “GSE” (Gopher State Ethanol) video at – Dori Ullman raises her voice about the stench

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Jamal from Minneapolis Large Somali community in Minneapolis Their “voice” was missing despite outreach Bus strike provided motivation and real world reason to join and post to forum

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Mayor Rybak from Minneapolis In 2001, RT Rybak announced mayoral candidacy on forum before press conference Continues to post ~monthly Video clips –The Seven O'clock MeetingThe Seven O'clock Meeting –Budget Issues - InformingBudget Issues - Informing –Let’s Ski - Gathering IdeasLet’s Ski - Gathering Ideas –Two-way Won’t Kill YouTwo-way Won’t Kill You

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net From Southwest Journal newspaper by Martiga Lohn Most days, mpls-issues is a substantive discussion of important public policy issues… However …here are a few excerpts from this burning issue >Go to hardware store…buy trap…set track…kill squirrel. End of public policy question. >Grab a trap and KILL the squirrel????????? Why must we destroy a living thing as a solution? >Rocky and his friends are out of control. … If you want evidence, try to eat a sandwich on a bench in Loring Park. >Quit telling people to move their nasty attack squirrels to wooded areas (i.e., Minneapolis parks) — we already have our fair share. >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. Squirrel Story

UK Issues Forums

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net UK Issues Forums Call for interest – Brighton & Hove, Newham emerge Guidebook produced –Steering committees –Charter and rules –Forum managers –Recruitment –Launch and facilitation GroupServer used, released open source Case study, evaluation, multimedia, etc.

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Brighton & Hove Today

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Newham Today

Analysis

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Creating “Public” in Private e-Life Online Civic Communication Model Forum Group communication remains highly private via without public spaces Issues Forum serves as public group communication organizer, multiplier, and amplifier; “leaks” back into private communication vs.

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net One-way versus Forum Dynamic Online Civic Communication Model Issues Forum One-way content, semi-public online advocacy expands Forum diffusion, viable two-way options tied to online advocacy and one-way content vs.

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 As a whole, blogging, RSS, and aggregation of “what’s now” is fundamentally underappreciated

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Value from Blogging Headline syndication – Blogs can share headlines and display current content from other sources –XML-based GroupServer provides RSS headlines for Issues Forums Aggregation –Sites like Technorati allow searching of “World Live Web”, E-Democracy Forums Today page –Aggregation strategy – both display of local feeds, like future local government or media headlines required Other standards –Pinging, Trackback, Permalink options etc. need to be explored to position forums as ultimate many-to-many multi-editor blog

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Forum Hosts - Media Media –Promotional ability for its own forums (about 40% online news sites in U.S. have them) is strength –Normally promote or allow pseudo-anonymity and remove highly offensive posts –Elected officials, much less, government officials rarely post –Reporter use Issues Forums for story ideas and access to sources – rarely use their own forums (you don’t quote a letter to the editor) –Media, could be important outreach partners IF forums not viewed as competitive effort

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Example Media Forum A different kind of exchange … –Satire on media hosted forums about lamp posts causing poor community behaviour ends with … –Brighton Councillors are EVIL. They EAT BABIES and do other NASTY THINGS. They are the most EVIL people ever. All the nasty people of History – Hitler, Stalin, Jack the Ripper, Graham Norton – are NICE compare to the EVIL councillors, who are all WICKED. –Despite satire, name calling is against E- Democracy rules.

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Forum Hosts - Government Open forums are rare on government websites –Citizens often expect “service” when clearly paid for by tax dollars –Issues of responsiveness censorship, control, liability –Fujisawa, Japan innovation – one column with government selected topics and another for citizen driven discussions –UK Local Authorities encouraged to host forums with E- Democracy.Org using citizen steering committee as essential management buffer –Key complement to e-consultations, e-panels “chicken” – Issues Forums as “egg” –Issues Forum approach may be adapted by anyone – our goals is citizen participation in local democracy

Issues Forum Online Consultation Online Civic Events Housing Education Recycling Graffiti Neighbourhood 1 Communities of Practice for Policy Implementation “Public Net-Work” or Neighbourhood “community” forums Etc. The big picture someday? …

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Forum Hosts - Others Individuals, community associations, small businesses, etc. –E-Democracy.Org/UK should organise and link to similar many-to-many non-partisan/multi- issue and perspective local forums –Need to respect different models, but web forums often lack access and many are “virtual ghost towns” –Over the long-term, an open question is – Can we craft E-Democracy.Org forums as “public” parks or townhalls owned by the community or are they niche debate clubs of sorts

How to Start One

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net How to Start One Watch “Experience” – Read Guidebook – Join “Liftoff” – Contact E-Democracy.Org UK Volunteer-based model that requires at least 4 citizens on your local steering committee

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net How to Start One Recruitment phase essential – if local authorities fund start-up, this would be a key area to dedicate resources Forum manager volunteer role crucial – avoid professionalizing core Issues Forum efforts to keep model low 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, with perhaps 1 out of 10 participants sought as 25 GBP/year members for mostly local costs

Conclusion

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Conclusion 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: –

UK Panel and Discussion

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Panelists Richard Stubbs, Newham Mark Walker, Brighton & Hove

GroupServer Demonstration

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net GroupServer Open Source Tool – Value beyond E-Democracy.Org Details and Web Movie – Download and Official Home in NZ – Building user base and development community

What’s Next

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net What’s Next – Discussion Starters What should be done to strengthen existing forums? What other communities are interested in forums?

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net What’s Next – Discussion Starters Is there interest and support for expanding outreach and start-up assistance across the UK? What GroupServer features/tools do we need to assist recruitment, management, and expansion?

Extra Slides

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Strategic posting by councillors, etc. Lessons I’d like to get across to them … –This is real, not obscure – “ leaks” – Rumors from offline world more easily squelched online where you can see them – The media is watching (sometimes they feel scooped by citizens) – Early and transparent engagement is often necessary to avoid public backlash, on the forum which can cause an exponential community backlash

Issues Forums Steven Clift, Publicus.Net Strategic posting by councillors, etc. Lessons from those “in power” who get it –Monitor – OK to actively reply privately – Post publicly when strategic, let people know you are there – “Ride the wave” and avoid tit-for-tat debating