The Challenges in Implementing E-Democracy in the United States

Abstract

Early predictions for information communication technology foresaw a transformation of the way that civil society interacts with government, but the implementation of that technology has thus far failed to transform the democratic process. Technology has changed certain aspects of government administration, particularly for governments in technology-rich areas, but a full synthesis of public participation and technology has yet to occur. This chapter discusses the prerequisites for full implementation of e-democracy, which includes but is not limited to the internal government implementation of technology. Beyond effective implementation of technology, e-democracy also requires a virtually engaged civil society willing and able to utilize an electronic public sphere. Great care must be taken in the event of the rise of true e-democracy to prevent marginalization of those who lack the ability to connect for reasons of income, infrastructure, or privacy concerns. Technology has the potential to foster a more inclusive public sphere and a more inclusive democracy, but great care must be taken to ensure that unnecessary censorship does not occur, that the virtual public sphere is not abused by corporations, that e-democracy is accessible, that the privacy of participants is protected, and that participants in the virtual public sphere are acting in good faith.