Technology is changing how people interact with government forever, says a prominent homeland security consultant.
InFederal Computer Week on Monday, W. David Stephenson argues that emergent behavior enabled by the convergence of personal communications and publishing technology with massive private and government data sources will “empower individuals in their relations with governments.”
Stephenson cited examples of New York City’s plans to allow mobile phone users to send text and multimedia messages to 911 and 311, as well as a private project in Washington, D.C., which publishes District-provided road work data overlaid on a Google map, as two examples of the changes in the way citizens interact with government.
Displays showing the status of potholes repairs subtly, but effectively, keep the city’s Department of Public Works on its toes. That example also illustrates an important aspect of the Web 2.0 world. Some call it “sousveillance,” which happens when people turn the tables and monitor government.
Also, the growing scientific understanding of the principle of swarm intelligence is an important aspect of this potential transformation of government. The term suggests that groups of people may be capable of a higher level of collaborative behavior than could be predicted from the abilities of individual members. — Federal Computer Week
In the past, Stephenson has also cited how private citizens collaborated during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to share information, help reunite families, and pick up the slack where government failed.
Smart mobile phones, PDAs and other communications devices, all connected to Web 2.0 applications on the Internet, have the potential to utterly transform the way people react to natural disasters, terrorist attacks, or even ordinary fender benders, Stephenson argued, as people collaborate with each other to find solutions.
“These devices have transformed our daily lives and the media,” Stephenson said in an e-mail. “It’s inevitable that they will have the same impact on government.”
Stephenson also has had a long-running weblog which he recently relaunched, along with a new RSS feed. For those of you who have wondered where he disappeared to, Stephenson said he’s trying to move all of his old content from Userland to the WordPress platform.
“Unfortunately those who have subscribed to my blog in the past don’t know that, because, with everything else, the blog feed changed,” Stephenson said.
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Verbos
May 22, 2007
Your car also has tracking devices and a black box recorder. This is especially true of GM products.
geri
May 22, 2007
Contacting the government is not so much the problem as the fact that, whether you contact them or not, the government doesn’t listen. Not unless you have lots of money to put in their pockets.
ddhorton
May 22, 2007
geri, Is there anything you like about the US Government? You sound like your from Quebec, Canada. You must have had a very bad situation with the Government to put them down so much, remmber the Politicians that run the government, not us poor suckers, that do the chores for them, so if you have a beef its with them not with the workers that get all the crap, from both sides. The laws come from the BOSS`S/POLITICANS, understand!!!!! There is two sides to what you call the Government, and I would like to be placed on the side that protects me as well as you.
Verbos
May 23, 2007
The hierarchy exists in any job. It is not just government jobs. If you go along with illegal or unscrupulous activities, you are either complaisant or compliant. I love the whistle blows. They are true patriots unlike the usual bureaucrats. They usually suffer for us all. If you do not have the guts, get out.
geri
May 23, 2007
DD, I do understand and I am living right here in America. And, you know what? Living here STILL gives me the freedom to complain, gripe and bitch if I feel like it. This is MY opinion…understand? You can take it or leave it, you can even discuss it and, maybe if you show me why my opinion doesn’t have a leg to stand on, I might change it. I might not. I’m an American and those are my rights.
Until the Government takes them away which is what is happening now. So, am I gonna yell about it? Oh yeah!
I’ve tried getting my communications through to the Bosses as you call them. I get nothing.
I am an Air Force Brat and I’ve served in the Army. My daughter is a Marine. So, do I know how the Government works and all the red tape involved and how you can get shafted if you don’t keep an eye on what the BOSSES are doing. Oh, hell yeah!
So, I’m keeping my eyes out. I don’t agree with what’s happening in the world today. I know who is making the laws. I know who isn’t listening to the people. And I won’t follow like a sheep when I see the slaughter house ahead.
eagle
May 23, 2007
geri, first of all I am not trying to change your mind, actually I don`t give a dam. Well if you can`t get nothing done through the bosses get rid of them, vote them out,if not then I guess your just out of luck, any way I have been wasting your time and mine, no need for me to discuss these issues with you anymore. Good luck for the future, and I am glad you know what is going on, I will be taking my e-mail of this subscription and saying good buy (ddh)
geri
May 24, 2007
Hon, I’m 43 and I have children who have pulled the ‘if you’re not going to see it my way I’m going off to sulk’ crap and I’m not impressed.
We have a difference of opinion. I have expressed mine, you have expressed yours. If your goal was to change my opinion than (1) you went about it the wrong way and (2) you were posting for the wrong reason.
I can handle the difference of opinion. Being an American means you can have a different opinion than me. In fact, you can express that opinion, shout your opinion and even write a book all about your opinion.
I’m willing to be a grown up American if you are.
geri
May 24, 2007
PS
Yes, I realize you said your goal was not to change my opinion. Your actions, like that of our leaders, speak of different goals.
ddhorton
Jun 04, 2007
geri,
Your right I was not trying to change your mind, I was only backing off, I have a new web site , will be up and running soon, understand one thing I am not a salesman, only somone that hopes he can help get a little bit of that trickle down money to trickle up to families and individuals like you. Sorry about any miss understanding, I believe we both are unhappy with the way the Government has been arranging our lives, this happens even if you are an admirial. Stay tunned in you will be hearing from me soon, in a much bigger voice. By the way you really don`t know my actions, they are much stronger than my words and I believe actions are the only true way to prove ones` words. “keep a eye open for me”