John Stephens, University of North Carolina and I led a conference session at nbt09
Tech ethics: The values questions raised in a digital democracy
Many attribute the dramatic increase in youth engagement to shifts in the way democracy worked in this past presidential election, particularly the Obama campaign’s more technological orientation.
Workshop Goal:
This session will examine timeless questions – who controls information, who participates in policy making, how do we ensure equal voice and opportunity, what happens when we skip the relationship-building aspect of strengthening public life – in a new, techno-democracy.
Co-leaders
Taylor Willingham, Texas Forums
John Stephens, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
OUTLINE
1. Five lines of questions/topics – as part of introductions, please identify which ones are of interest to you.
A. What does the dramatic increase in youth engagement (heavily tilted toward online and new communication media) mean for face-to-face democracy-building?
B. Where are the digital divides – age, economic disparity, language – and how do we overcome them?
C. Who controls information exchange? Extremes: no control, free expression and flame wars, “unfair” claims OK vs. Need general rules for the road, and OK for content creators to retain some/significant control over flow of information
D. New media, journalism, and the tension between accountability and openness/privacy. Recent example: Iran protests and Western journalists inability to confirm images/reports as accurate, but went ahead and used them.
E. Are the technology advocates in sync with the deliberative democracy advocates?
Texas Forums 
Reflections from John [cross-posted]
Technology has increased the avenues for potential participation – online social media, key pads and cell phones to register preferences/votes, etc.
The good news: increased ability reduces some traditional barriers to participation and deliberation. Results: new voice, more reach, and often recognition and new connections within a geographical area and more broadly.
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The challenges/tensions:
1. Accountability and responsibility in participation – ability to comment once and then withdraw rather than engage over a period of time
2. Access – physical, financial and time availability to engage in online methods
3. Digital literacy
4. Concerns about standards of authenticity — ability for “astroturf” presentation of supposed grassroots concerns – how do you verify that a real person is on the end of the message sent to a leader/elected official?
BUT
In efforts to screen for authenticity/real person, could undercut the openness of citizen reporting and journalism.
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As with other “lower tech” means – similar challenges apply – what is the right method/s of communication? May differ between:
a) Getting the right information out – in a timely way, in an understandable language, to people ready for the message
b) Time for people to understand and probe the information/issue – time to dialogue, deliberate
c) Clarity of how they can respond, choose or influence the discussion and decision
d) How they can clearly state their preference/vote
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The demise of some large metropolitan papers (example: Seattle Post-Intelligencer) is causing the loss of some good values of traditional journalism
a) Common information/issue read widely in a community
b) Fact-checking and seeking “balance” or multiple perspectives
Seems to be leading to wide suspicions of a range of online information and blogs – what is their real agenda?
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A focus on preparing college students – less about the technology and more about strategies for assessing information
a) How they need to consider their audience
b) The purpose of their message
c) Ethics – their engagement with others
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Does much of the phone/Internet/Social media focus more on the ability to be fast and wide ranging and necessarily sacrifice thorough, slow and thoughtful interchange? Example: twitter.
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One similarity – old and new media:
Concern about wrongly privileging one kind of information/media avenue over another
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Digital – no one size fits all and “old techs” still have their place (example: radio, newsletters, journals, etc.)
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Lots of deliberative democracy is designed for extroverts. Usually relies on motivation to talk and engage face to face. Some technologies can help introverts contribute more.