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!
Lee Rainie
Director
Pew Internet & American Life Project
1615 L Street NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
[email_address]
202-419-4500

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Governing as social networking

by Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project on Apr 22, 2009

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Governing as social networking — Presentation Transcript