1.
http://theReboot.org
Channeling the Power of ICTs to
Foster Improved Civic Participation
WSIS 2012, Geneva, May 16, 2012
Zack Brisson, Principal, Reboot
©Reboot 2012 (theReboot.org).
Available under Creative Commons (BY‐NC‐SA 3.0).

2.
My perspective:
DEVELOPED FOR:
SPONSORED BY:
Find out more:
http://theReboot.org/Tunisia

3.
WE ARE HERE

4.
WE ARE HERE
TO TRY AND
ANSWER

5.
WE ARE HERE
TO TRY AND
ANSWER
A BIG QUESTION

6.
HOW ARE ICTs REDEFINING
HOW WE GOVERN OURSELVES?
Photo by Collin David Anderson

7.
ICTs EXPONENTIALLY
EXPAND

8.
ICTs EXPONENTIALLY
EXPAND
OUR CAPACITY FOR

9.
ICTs EXPONENTIALLY
EXPAND
OUR CAPACITY FOR
CIVIC PARTICIPATION

10.
HOW DO WE
DEFINE THESE
O U R C A P A C I TI E F ? R
Y SO

11.
SHARE, BROADCAST, & CREATE
political intelligence

12.
ORGANIZE, COORDINATE,
& DEMONSTRATE
political will Photo by European Parliament

13.
COMMUNICATE WITH, ENGAGE,
& CHALLENGE
political leaders Photo by European Parliament

14.
In Tunisia…

15.
the capacity for civic participation
was neglected Photo by Nasser Nouri

16.
until it burst forth in a
revolutionary wave Photo by Nasser Nouri

17.
Now the desire to participate is
finding new channels

18.
Meet Ben*

19.
Meet Ben*
*Note: All names/photos have been anonymized

20.
a civic­minded young man

21.
and a sophisticated hacker

22.
BEFORE THE REVOLUTION
he was

23.
BEFORE THE REVOLUTION
he was
FRUSTRATED

24.
BEFORE THE REVOLUTION
he was
FRUSTRATED
ANGRY

25.
BEFORE THE REVOLUTION
he was
FRUSTRATED
ANGRY
&
SUPPRESSED

26.
so he used his capacity
to speak out Photo by Flickr User nigsby
Photo by Flickr user
Nigsby

27.
which landed him in jail Photo by Nasser Nouri

28.
But all that changed
after the revolution

29.
The Web helped Ben Xind
new ways to participate

30.
And now he’s building
a new civil society

31.
SO WHAT DOES BEN’S STORY
TELL US ABOUT
GOVERNING
in the 21 s t century?

32.
To survive and thrive,
governments must…

33.
To survive and thrive,
governments must…
Recognize and respond to the
participatory capacity of citizens

34.
To survive and thrive,
governments must…
Recognize and respond to the
participatory capacity of citizens
Respond with new methods of
meaningfully engaging the public
in political decision making

35.
To survive and thrive,
governments must…
Recognize and respond to the
participatory capacity of citizens
Respond with new methods of
meaningfully engaging the public
in political decision making
Improve public services to meet
the expectations of public demand

36.
THIS IS THE
FUTURE
of
GOVERNANCE

37.
BECAUSE HISTORY TELLS US
Communication
Capacity
TIME

38.
BECAUSE HISTORY TELLS US
Communication
Capacity
TIME

39.
CAPACITY ONLY CONTINUES TO GROW
Communication
Capacity
TIME

40.
INSTITUTIONS THAT
fail to
ADAPT
TO THIS REALITY

41.
WILL FIGHT A
continuous battle
for
CONTROL & LEGITIMACY

42.
Rather than treat this change
of affairs as a threat… Photo by Flickr User rais58

43.
EMBRACE
change

44.
AND
YOU
CAN

45.
TURN THIS Photo by Flickr User nigsby
Photo by Flickr user
Nigsby

46.
into this

47.
ICTs ARE OUR
TOOLS
to
PROVIDE…

48.
citizens the
HAPPY, HEALTHY,
& PRODUCTIVE LIVES
they deserve

49.
citizens the
HAPPY, HEALTHY,
& PRODUCTIVE LIVES
they deserve

50.
citizens the
HAPPY, HEALTHY,
& PRODUCTIVE LIVES
they deserve

51.
citizens the
HAPPY, HEALTHY,
& PRODUCTIVE LIVES
they deserve

52.
THANK
you
Zack Brisson,
Principal, Reboot
zack@theReboot.org http://theReboot.org/Tunisia
©Reboot 2012 (theReboot.org).
Available under Creative Commons (BY‐NC‐SA 3.0).