“How do you think government (either in the United States or elsewhere) can best utilize technology to engage the public and make government more transparent and accessible?” I think this is an interesting question because technology has advanced so much through the years and continues to do so every day.
One way government can engage the public and make everything more accessible is by arranging an online voting system for elections. This process would have to be made as perfect as possible, but it would probably encourage more people to vote, which I’m sure, would make presidential candidates happy.
Also, it would be a great idea for the government to allow electronic questionnaires to be sent out to citizens to engage more public opinion and response. I know I would feel better about things knowing my voice was actually being heard. These questionnaires would be made available to people via the internet, meaning only people with internet access would be able to take part; however, I have read that President Obama has said that he wants to make broadband internet available to all communities. Broadband internet for everyone would be an amazing benefit. The issue of technology gaps with people who do not own computers can be solved by public libraries continuing to provide internet access on their computers for all to use.
In addition to these above suggestions, I think that broadcasting more governmental meetings like Congress, could be done via the Internet. Of course, not everything could be broadcasted due to safety concerns, but some topics could safely be discussed.
The more that the public feels they are being heard, the better for the government. Living in a country like the USA, we are blessed with the ability to voice whatever we feel is necessary. Encouraging the development of innovations would give the public more voice, which I think, would benefit the government.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I think an online voting system is a great new step in terms of technological advancement but my concern is about its security. Heavy security measures must be taken into account when considering this possibility because the Web is a cyberspace with its own world. And due to mandates like Net Neutrality, which people are fighting for, it allows hackers unlimited access to the Internet other than the average Joe who uses the Web...and that is a very "bittersweet" concept to tackle for those who are for both Net Neutrality and an online voting system.
I love the idea of broadband being made available to all communites. I think this levels the field a bit making resources available to those who cannot afford them. However, additional computers and hardware cost money that libraries and community centers lack. I would be interested to hear President-elect Obama's plan for paying for these resources with the current state of our public funding. (Access to public funding is in very serious jeopardy.)
Agree with you on " living in the USA we are blessed with the ability to voice whatever we feel is necessary".
This is a country where the citizens have their equal right to raise their ideas and share common views with one another. Imagine countries where individuals have no rights at all to raise their voices based on what they see is right or wrong. I should thank my parents for bringing me to this country..
It would be interesting to see the government try to implement an online voting system that provides security and is accurate. I think this innovation would be risky and make alot of people skeptical if the canidate they voted for didnt win.
I agree that there is a major security issue with the internet, but it would be amazing if the government found a way to keep ideas like online voting "extra secure." How they would go about doing that, I do not know. I am not aware of how to do such a thing but the idea of secure online voting would definitely encourage more people to vote, I think.
Post a Comment