Week Two-Post #2 Public Information and E-Governance (Chapter Three/E-Democracy and Wikipedia Website Analysis)

Within chapter three of David Garson’s, Public Information and E-Governance, 6 primary layers of e-democracy were established; e-participation, e-civics, E-legislating, E-voting, E-campaigning, and e-activism. Two new subjects were brought to my attention that I had never heard of before: e-campaigning and e-activism. I discovered that e-campaigning was the use of electronic means to mobilize volunteers, raise funds, etc. E-activism is similar to that of e-campaigning, except that it is done in the interest of groups which seek to influence public policy. While reading this information I realized that I regularly participate in both e-campaigning and e-activism, however I knew there was an official name for them. I thought the sociotechnical theorist view regarding e-activism was interesting in that e-civics and e-participation were important layers to the process of team building.

I was surprised to discover that the first communities that experienced with e-activism were in the 1980’s and that even back then e-civics was being utilized through access to governmental information, reports, etc. I also thought it was interesting that e-campaigning does not always lead to political mobilization and that although citizen utilize the internet for the purpose of political participation, that does not necessarily make them more politically active.

Privacy also comes to mind when I read through Chapter three, especially when addressing the e-campaigning that utilizes cookies, mailing lists and other online forms to retrieve voter information for candidates. If parties can retrieve this information how can an individual feel safe while participating in e-activism and e-campaigning? Additionally, can e-voting be a safe and secure way for one to feel they are taking part in a voting process? Page 74 states “some electronic systems may compromise voter privacy and recount capability, a fact that many vendors and election officials do not want voters to know.” Then, it was interesting to read the Wikipedia website where again privacy was a large concern citizens expressed with citizen-to-government interactions. After reading chapter three and the Wiki website I am ultimately left with the feeling ‘is it really worth it to participate within e-democracy, but to potentially loose the primary right to privacy?

The Wikipedia website also addressed concerns of the digital divide providing a disadvantage for utilizing the internet as a political medium for direct democracy. I thought it was great that this website covered this concern. As I was reading through chapter three and the website I was wondering if Generation Y (as being previously defined as those most likely to utilize internet access) has more e-democracy action than those who have low access/social disparities. If the internet was the primary political medium would the low access population have less say in our current democracy? I think this week’s assigned reading (for me) has brought up more questions than answers.