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Also note: Global blogger action day called http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4278241.stm http://committeetoprotectbloggers.blogspot.com From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4284191.stm Why democracy starts with an 'e' Dot.life - where technology meets life, every Monday By Mark Ward Technology Correspondent, BBC News The changes the net has brought in have bypassed Westminster The net is starting to have a positive effect on politics, if the politicians let it. Time after time, advances on the internet have come when someone has created tools which make things easy-to-do, and then put them in the hands of ordinary web users. Many people are now trying to do this for politics - both local and national. One of the first is the FaxYourMP site, which has now been renamed WriteToThem, which lets people send e-mail or faxes to MPs, local councillors, MEPs, MSPs and Welsh and London Assembly members. ... Now, she said, they need to think more realistically about the web can help broaden debate and bring in fresh voices, insight and expertise. "The technology shouldn't be used for direct democracy," warned Ms Gibbons, "that's not the way a parliamentary democracy works." But local initiatives are showing how web tools can help get people involved with their local area without heralding a move to push- button politics. E-democracy expert Steven Clift has been helping communities in Brighton and Newham set up local web-based groups that canvass opinions and try to get people involved in looking after their local area. He said the model for these came out of work done in Minnesota in a local democracy group. He said this largely web-based group now has 900 people that regularly participate in online town meetings and has enjoyed such a turn out for years. Local politicians always take notice of what this group thinks, he said. Tools like Blogger have driven more people to write blogs "What MP wouldn't turn up to a meeting that has 900 people in it?" he asked. ... More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4284191.stm ^ ^ ^ ^ Steven L. Clift - - - W: http://publicus.net Minneapolis - - - - E: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Minnesota - - - - - - T: +1.612.822.8667 USA - - - - - MSN/Y!/AIM: netclift UK Office Hours - 1pm - 11pm - - T: 0870.340.1266 Join my Democracies Online Newswire: http://dowire.org *** Past Messages, to Subscribe: http://dowire.org *** *** To subscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** Message body: SUB DO-WIRE *** *** To UNSUBSCRIBE instead, write: UNSUB DO-WIRE *** *** Please send submissions to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** New RSS XML Feed Available: *** http://www.mail-archive.com/do-wire@lists.umn.edu/maillist.xml
