Why we can't have nice things: Identifying (and surmounting?) the obstacles to digital democratic innovation
Revitalising democracy requires bold action to develop and sustain civic infrastructure online. Dr. Gastil proposes building at the centre of such a system a suite of software and tools that engage citizens in budgeting, agenda setting, and policymaking, thereby building warranted public trust in both government and community action. In the book that Dr. Gastil is developing this year, however, he acknowledges that such a proposal faces formidable barriers, from feasibility and political viability to concerns about privacy, hacking, and misinformation. This talk inventories those obstacles and offers a speculative strategy for surmounting each one.