e -Democracy

1. e-Democracy The Internet, Democracy, and the Digital Divide Dr. Steffen Schmidt Iowa State University Oct. 25, 2002 1252 Howe Hall schmidt

2. The American Political System • Horizontal fragmentation (Checks and balances between branches of government) • Vertical fragmentation (Federalism and the over 80,000 “governments” in the USA) • Fragmentation (i.e. Inefficiency) of govt. = protection of the individual from govt. oppression schmidt

3. What does this mean for IT and the Internet as a political and governmental tool? • More government centralization through efficient technology? • Greater decentralization through “distributed” (i.e. non-centralized) features of Internet? Or • Both! (“Center” – federal Govt. has greater “aggregation” power; “peripheries” have a lot of “specialized autonomy”) schmidt

4. Organizational Factors –IT in theory produces • Less need for middle management (flattened hierarchies) • More decentralized work closer to the “clients” • More efficient central management of overall mission schmidt

5. IT- Meta Characteristics of interest to Political Science • Disintermediated linkages between people, institutions, organizations Intermediated Disintermediated Government Bureaucracy; Political party People schmidt

6. Overall Characteristics of IT and Government/Politics • Portability of citizenship (“remote” citizen access) • Theoretically, no geo-centric borders necessary • Citizenship 24-7 • E-voting • Unfiltered news access • Transparent Government services and information (citizen and media access) schmidt

7. Dimensions • Access to leaders (political, Pres. Geoffrey) • Strengthening existing communities of people with shared interests - • Creating “virtual” communities. • more connected “geocentric” (i.e. “real”) communities - (neighborhood e-mail, school “in-groups”) schmidt

8. e-voting on the Internet • Security • of the ballot - cheating • of the voter after voting - privacy • Cost – new law. • “Culture” - age, income, technophobia • Performance of equipment • The Digital Divide schmidt

9. The Digital Divide - USA Income and unequal access to IT • “Social class” and socialization to technology and learning • School funding mechanisms (local property taxes). schmidt

10. International Factors • Low GDP in most nations • Cultural (Ed) factors on technology • Positive (discipline, math skills) • Negative (lack of support for creative and spontaneous initiative) • International dominance (Microsoft - Asian leaders). schmidt

11. Infrastructure • Reliable electricity • Reliable telephone & fiber optic lines – (Cell phones) • Security (crime) for servers, facilities • Protection - virus and hacking • Training and maintenance • Upgrading of hard and software schmidt

12. “Regime” and Technology • Democratic nations or “cultures” (organizations, schools etc). • More freedom and participation • Authoritarian cultures or nations (China, Saudi Arabia). • More efficient central control. schmidt

13. Examples • Global Summit of Women • http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/09/17/digital.divide.idg/index.htmlWhile the number of women going online is increasing in the Asia-Pacific region, efforts are still needed to promote greater Internet awareness, especially among housewives and the older generation, • Modified game consoles to narrow digital divide • http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/industry/07/06/consoles.divide.idg/index.html • SALZBURG, Austria (IDG) -- People in developing nations could soon be using modified Linux game consoles equipped with satellite links to help them learn about vital health issues. The project, sponsored by Western and Asian business leaders working through the World Economic Forum (WEF), aims to narrow the so-called digital divide. • Information and communication technology (ICT) can be a major force in helping poor countries reduce poverty, according to a report issued Wednesday by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). • http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/industry/07/13/it.cuts.poverty.idg/index.html schmidt

14. More examples • http://www.cnn.com/2001/BUSINESS/asia/05/18/hk.3gdigitaldivide/index.html • HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- The introduction of third-generation mobile technology is poised to widen Asia's existing digital divide into a chasm. • Plans for third-generation networks, or 3G, have hit Asia's major economies. In Japan, NTT DoCoMo is preparing to test launch its long-awaited 3G service by the end of May. • But in South and Southeast Asia, most countries are still struggling just to get a dial tone. schmidt

15. Other Issues schmidt

16. More Accessible Government • Information on laws and congress • content - • navigation and search – Has been BAD! • Benefits and services from GOV. • More media mainlining of news - • Need for PRIVACY - from govt. schmidt

17. Strengthening Existing “Communities” • People with shared interests can organize better. • The power of the site administrator and CIO - • Example - US environmental group - Cambridge, Mass - MIT guru. • PRIVACY - from private sector and civil society “snooping”. schmidt

18. Misuses of Information Technology • All of the information presented can be used for good or for bad. schmidt

19. Abuses of IT • Pornography, child abductions. • Identity theft • Hacking, viruses, and other malicious IT crime • Drug Cartels • #######Spam, Spam • Commercial harvesting and sale of e-mail. schmidt

20. Cyber Crime and Terrorism • CIS - Cyber Terrorism • Global Organized Crime Center • Commercial Crime schmidt

21. Other issues of interest • Hacktivism – computer hacking as a form of “positive” political action. • Cyber Warfare – in the war on Iraq • The training of Information assurance experts. Do we need to assess who we are training and to what uses they will put their knowledge? (Do we want to train terrorists or Iraqi security forces?) schmidt