Online Participation
With the appearance/invention of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) the new era of democracy and civic inclusion has been kicked off in human history. This era of opportunity and cutting edge technologies has capacity to cope with existed social, civic and democratic challenges the way better and more efficient than traditional methods and tools. However, young generation mostly uses these opportunities for their fun and social connection. While this could be and is the strong tool for solving their problems or establishing dialog with local government etc.
The young people from Europe is not exception, they also can largely benefit from the ICT opportunities to improve their life conditions and actively engage in democratic processes and civil society.
In the following module we will discuss the main forms and tools of e-participation as well as explore existed platforms and practices regarding e-engagement.
Theoretical material
Online participation means being actively engaged in the socio-political process via online means. With this regard, there are various tools for e-engagement petition, e-voting, hashtaging, online campaigns, meetings, mailing, video messaging or blogging, being active in social media etc.
According to Macintosh E-participation is the use of information and communication technologies to broaden and deepen political participation by enabling citizens to connect with one another and with their elected representatives
There is also a forms where u can be involved individually like being active in social media or mailing or blogging and other one is where to be voice heard it need to be more representative and group/team work are required. In addition, online participation could be done on all levels of government started from local to international.
E-petition: An online petition (or Internet petition, or e-petition) is a form of petition which is signed online, usually through a form on a website. Visitors/users to the online petition sign the petition by adding their details such as name and email address. Typically, after there are enough signatories, the resulting letter may be delivered to the subject of the petition, usually via e-mail. The online petition may also deliver an email to the target of the petition each time the petition is signed.
Online petitions may be abused if signers don't use real names, thus undermining its legitimacy. Verification, for example via a confirmation e-mail can prevent padding a petition with false names and e-mails. Many petition sites now have safeguards to match real world processes; such as local governments requiring protest groups to present petition signatures, plus their printed name, and a way to verify the signature (either with a phone number or identification number via a driver's license or a passport) to ensure that the signature is legitimate and not falsified by the protestors.
There are now several major web initiatives featuring online petitions, for example Change.org and Avaaz.org. These are growing in popularity and ability to achieve political impact. The Economist commented that Avaaz has had "some spectacular successes", but raises questions about what objective measures can be used to assess "the reach of a global e-protest movement". Today the online platforms for the e-petitions could be met and at local, national and international level throughout the world and some of them has backed with the respective legislative power, which means that results are bound to be proceeded and not used as only as a recommendation outcome.
Emailing: Among other means and tools there are emailing which is contacting to the governmental representatives or state bodies by sending emails to express the opinion and will of citizens.
Blogging: this tool is used as both written blogs and video messages or series of videos reporting the issues or requesting the call and will of the citizen or citizens by spreading it via social media platforms.
Social Media: One of the most popular and least recognized way of the e-participation is being active in the social media. Today by posting, reporting, sharing, liking or commenting under the relevant posts citizens are expressing the views that usually are taken into account by the politicians and decision makers even business and private sectors. The social media is powerful tool not only for sharing and for receiving information and ideas but also defining the opinion and positions as well as discussing, debating over the opinions of citizens including the topic politicians and decision makers.
Video links
What is E-PARTICIPATION? What does E-PARTICIPATION mean? E-PARTICIPATION meaning & explanation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z9Bu6bOBDU
Get involved: Petitions (UK) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGEOraE08Jk
EU presents e-petition project - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A7mom9uBhw
Petition Definition for Kids - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I3ILOUvGPc
What is a Petition? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aba_kQu1sB0
Useful resources and links, additional literature
EU petition https://ec.europa.eu/info/about-european-commission/get-involved/petition-eu_en
Young people and Democratic life in Europe – European Youth Forum
Open ended questions
How is it possible for e-petition to prevent fake users?
What are the main tools/means for social media participation?
What is e-participation according to Macintosh?
Which popular online platforms you know?
What kind of other tools you know for e-particiaption?