From:
Steven Clift
Date:
Oct 27 18:14 UTC
Short link
I am doing a bit of research on how people would like to use the Internet to
connect with their closest neighbors and what specific needs/tasks they might
like online tools to help them accomplish (like a tool to generate neighbor
lists, etc.). Let's be clear, I am not talking about replacing a chat over the
back fence or block parties. In fact, I am looking for examples where the
online lead to greater connections and trust/support among neighbors.
So, if you are a "block captain," what are the most time consuming things that
you do and would like to see become easier? Any "big wish" ideas? Are things
already happening in Minneapolis or St. Paul as an extension of neighborhood
associations or community policing activities?
For all, have you swapped e-mails with your neighbors or attempted to organize
something online to connect very very locally? What tools/content/options you
like to see?
Also, assuming private and secure online communication (different than
city-wide/neighborhood-wide Issues Forums), what percentage of the people on
your block (however you define it) do you think would actually opt-in to
communicate two-way with one another (moving from e-mail cc: to something more
automated)? If people could pick and choose the kinds of group messages (public
safety, baby sitting swapping, tool sharing, etc.), which topics do you think
people would be most interested?
Finally, with social networking on sites like Facebook, you get to pick and
choose your "Friends." Those tools are publicizing private life, but not really
fostering place-based public life online. However, we don't get to pick all
our neighbors AND we don't necessarily want everyone/certain people on our
block to know a lot about us. So my question is this - even if one invested
significantly in tools to connect neighbors, provide basic security of
communication, would such effort ever attract critical mass use? Why would you
use them and what concerns do you think would need to be addressed in their
design?
Please reply to: <email obscured>
Steven Clift
P.S. While this research could very well impact E-Democracy.Org, I've been
commissioned directly by a national foundation to develop some ideas/themes in
the broad area of participation. My sense is that extreme "local-up" is an area
without much systematic activity and significant potential.