Governing as social networking

GOVERNING AS SOCIAL NETWORKING Lee Rainie – Director Pew Internet Project IRMCO – Cambridge, Maryland April 22, 2009

New information ecosystem: Then and Now Industrial Age Info was: Scarce Expensive Institutionally oriented Designed for consumption Information Age Info is: Abundant Cheap Personally oriented Designed for participation

2000 46% of adults use internet 5% with broadband at home 50% own a cell phone <5% are content creators 0% connect wirelessly <10% use “cloud” = slow, stationary connections built around my computer, simple chat and information exchange The internet is the asteroid: Then and now 2008 75% of adults use internet 57% with broadband at home 82% own a cell phone ~40% are content creators 62% connect wirelessly >53% use “cloud” = fast, mobile connections built around outside servers and storage and social / civic engagement

Personal ecosystem changes

Media ecology – then

Product Route to home Display Local storage

TV stations phone TV Cassette/ 8-track

broadcast TV radio

broadcast radio stereo Vinyl album

News mail

Advertising newspaper delivery phone

paper

Radio Stations non-electronic

Tom Wolzien, Sanford C. Bernstein & Co

Media ecology – now

Product Route to home Display Local storage

cable TiVo (PVR) VCR

TV stations DSL TV

Info wireless/phone radio DVD

“ Daily me” broadcast TV PC Web-based storage

content iPod /MP3 server/ TiVo (PVR)

Cable Nets broadcast radio stereo PC

Web sites satellite monitor web storage

Local news mail headphones CD/CD-ROM

Content from express delivery pager

individuals iPod / storage portable gamer MP3 player / iPod

Peer-to-peer subcarriers / WIFI cell phone pagers - PDAs

Advertising newspaper delivery phone cable box

Radio stations camcorder/camera PDA/Palm game console

game console paper

Satellite radio non-electronic storage sticks/disks

Adapted from Tom Wolzien, Sanford C. Bernstein & Co

Volume of information grows

Variety of information increases

Velocity of information speeds up

The times and places to experience media enlarge

People’s vigilance for information expands AND contracts

The immersive qualities of media are more compelling

Relevance of information improves

The number of information “voices” explodes – and becomes more findable

Voting and ventilating are enabled

Social networks are more vivid

A different personal ecosystem and a different sense of …

Expectation about access to information and people

Persistence of the “digital me” and “digital you”

Place … and time … and presence with others

Possibilities of conversation and community -- scalability

Personal efficacy

Boundaries and contexts – public and private

Social networking possibilities – new layers, new audiences

News ecosystem changes

113 million 64 million

The internet and political news/information % who use the internet to get info about the campaign

Percent of adults

People-Press news consumer typology

Political ecosystem changes

35% of adults have watched politically related video

---

Up from 13% in 2004

Other activities

14% of adults have used social network sites for political news and information

Other activities

The process of citizen decision-making and problem-solving changes

Background of research

Institute for Museum and Library Services grant

UIC partnership

Government Printing Office query

http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/231/report_display.asp

Basic question

How do people get information to help them solve problems that could have a government connection or be aided by government resources?

23 Needed information about Medicare / Medicaid / food stamps 25 Changed jobs , retired, or started your own business 34 Needed information about property taxes or income taxes 39 Made a decision about schooling , paying for education, or getting training for yourself or for a child 45% Dealt with a serious illness or other health condition, either yourself or someone close to you Yes Problem – 1 (… in the past two years)

5 Became a citizen / helped someone with immigration 10 Involved in a criminal matter, a lawsuit, or other legal action 15 Look for help from local government with a problem like traffic or schools 19 Wanted information about voter registration or a government action, program, or policy 20% Needed information about Social Security / military benefits Yes Problem – 2 (… in the past two years)

79.5% had experienced at least one problem

=

Approx. 169 million adults and that is the target population for this research

What sources did you use for most recent problem?

58% of those who had recently experienced one of those problems said they used the internet to get help (not including secondary internet users)

53% said they turned to professionals such as doctors, lawyers or financial experts

45% turned to friends and family members

What sources did you use …? (2)

36% consulted newspapers, magazines, books

34% directly contacted a government office or agency

16% consult television and radio

13% went to the public library

11% used another source not mentioned in survey

Who turns to government agencies for problem solving?

40-somethings = 40%

College grads = 37%

Internet users = 35%

No gender or racial/ethnic variance

No income variance

Problem 7% 11% 10% 10% 20% 10% Library 14% 14% 14% 21% 15% 16% TV or Radio 71% 27% 60% 56% 27% 15% Government Agency 27% 43% 33% 32% 38% 37% Print sources 31% 58% 28% 26% 50% 51% Family or Friends 38% 27% 43% 48% 40% 83% Professionals 41% 66% 45% 60% 77% 46% Internet Social Security Change job status Medicare/ Medicaid Taxes Education Health Source of info.

Search success in problem solving NA 55% TV and radio NA 56% Family and friends NA 57% Newspapers, mags, books NA 61% Professionals / experts 55% 63% Internet 36% 64% Public library 49% 65% Government agency A lot of information Very Successful

Average searcher/decider

Used 2-3 sources of information – not an either/or world

Relied on an “outside” human being somewhere in the process to find or assess information – so humans were filters and assessors of information

Did not “self diagnose” and “self medicate” – relied on an expert sources before making the final decision

There is a new pattern of communication, influence, and support in a world of networked individuals

The two-step flow of communication has become a four-step “cycle”

Attention

Acquisition

Assessment

Action

How do you….

get a citizen’s attention?

leverage your traditional platforms

be a “news node” - offer alerts, updates, feeds

be available in relevant places on his/her terms, not just yours

find pathways through his/her social network

How do you….

help a citizen acquire information?

be findable in a search-driven, “long tail” world

pursue new distribution methods

figure out your role in the “link economy”

participate in the conversation about your work

How do you….

help a citizen assess information?

be transparent

be an archivist

when you make mistakes, seek forgiveness

decide if you can be a trusted aggregator

How do you….

assist a citizen act on information?

offer opportunities for feedback

offer opportunities for remixing

offer opportunities for community building

be open to the wisdom of crowds

How are we doing in the Twittersphere? http:// search.twitter.com/search?q =%23irmco “ What are the metrics for citizen engagement beyond levels and diversity of participation?” Usability and navigation Feedback Buzz and participation Aid in social networking Aid in problem solving Trust

Thank you!