Promise and Problems of E-Democracy
Challenges of Online Citizen Engagement
This book highlights policy lessons in using ICTs to provide information, opportunities for consultation and public participation in policy-making. It includes numerous examples of current practice from 12 OECD member countries (Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Slovak Republic, Sweden, UK) as well as the European Commission. It does not deal with online service delivery nor with ICT applications to elections (e.g. e-voting) although some of the issues discussed here, such as providing information online, may be relevant for both. Finally, the book suggests 10 guiding principles for successful online consultation and identifies five key challenges for online citizen engagement in policy-making.
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The Future of the Internet and Democracy Beyond Metaphors, Towards Policy
This paper argues that much analysis of the relationship between the Internet and democracy has been obscured by the use of metaphors. The paper seeks to root e-democracy within the context of changing democratic culture and procedures. A model of information-flows for e-democracy is outlined. A number of policy objectives are set out, including the creation of trusted online spaces for democracy; integration of e-democracy into constitutionally recognised channels; the cultivation of meaningful interactivity between representatives and represented; the recruitment of traditionally excluded voices to online public debate, ..
Also available in: French
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