eDemocracy

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e-Democracy

• The Internet, Democracy, and the Digital Divide
• Dr. Steffen Schmidt
• Iowa State University

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IT- Meta Characteristics

• Disintermediated linkages between people,
  institutions, organizations

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Organizational Factors

• Less need for middle management (flattened
  hierarchies)
• More decentralized work or decision making and
  also
• More efficient central management of overall
  mission

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Overall Characteristics

• Portability of citizenship
• Citizenship 24-7
• No geo-centric borders necessary
• E-voting
• Unfiltered news access
• Transparent Government services and info.

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Dimensions

• Access to leaders (political, Pres. Geoffrey)
• Strengthening existing communities of people with
  shared interests -
• Creating virtual communities.
• more connected geocentric (i.e. real)
  communities - (neighborhood e-mail, school
  in-groups)

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e-voting on the Internet

• Security
• of the ballot - cheating
• of the voter after voting - privacy
• Cost
• Culture - age, income, technophobia
• Performance of equipment
• The Digital Divide

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The Digital Divide

• Internal factors
• Income and unequal access to IT
• Social class and socialization to technology
  and learning
• School funding mechanisms (local property taxes).

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International Factors

• Low GDP
• Cultural (Ed) factors on technology
• Positive (discipline, math skills)
• Negative (lack of support for creative and
  spontaneous initiative)
• International dominance (Microsoft - Asian
  leaders).

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Infrastructure

• Reliable electricity
• Reliable telephone fiber optic lines
• Security - servers, facilities
• Protection - virus and hacking
• Training and maintenance
• Upgrading of hard and software

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Regime and Technology

• Democratic nations or cultures (organizations,
  schools etc).
• More freedom and participation

• Authoritarian cultures or nations (China, Saudi
  Arabia).
• More efficient central control.

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Examples

• Global Summit of Women
• http//www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/09/17/digita
  l.divide.idg/index.html
• Modified game consoles to narrow digital divide
• http//www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/industry/07/06/consol
  es.divide.idg/index.html
• Information and communication technology (ICT)
  can be a major force in helping poor countries
  reduce poverty, according to a report issued
  Wednesday by the United Nations Development
  Program (UNDP).
• http//www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/industry/07/13/it.cut
  s.poverty.idg/index.html

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More examples

• http//www.cnn.com/2001/BUSINESS/asia/05/18/hk.3gd
  igitaldivide/index.html
• HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- The introduction of
  third-generation mobile technology is poised to
  widen Asia's existing digital divide into a
  chasm.
• Plans for third-generation networks, or 3G, have
  hit Asia's major economies. In Japan, NTT DoCoMo
  is preparing to test launch its long-awaited 3G
  service by the end of May.
• But in South and Southeast Asia, most countries
  are still struggling just to get a dial tone.

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Other Issues
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More Accessible Government

• Information on laws and congress
• content -
• navigation and search - BAD!
• Benefits and services from GOV.
• More media mainlining of news -
• The current war in Afghanistan
• PRIVACY - from govt.

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Strengthening Existing Communities

• People with shared interests can organize better.
• The power of the site administrator and CIO -
• Example - US environmental group - Cambridge,
  Mass - MIT guru.
• PRIVACY - from private sector and civil society
  snooping.

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Misuses of Information Technology

• All of the information presented can be used for
  good or for bad.

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Abuses of IT

• Pornography, child abductions.
• Identity theft
• Hacking, viruses, and other malicious IT crime
• Drug Cartels
• Terrorists
• Hacktivism

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Cyber Crime and TerrorismSources and Books

• CIS - Cyber Terrorism
• Global Organized Crime Center
• The Standard - Commercial Crime
• Hacktivism

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E-Democracy Projects

• Class projects

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Infotainment and the web

• Bin laden