We are excited to introduce the latest round of new media roll outs that will help increase the participatory elements of the FCC's online operation and facilitate open discussion on the National Broadband Plan.
In addition to participating in the Broadband Workshops online and engaging in discussion on Task Force blog posts, you can now share your ideas on the National Broadband Plan through our new IdeaScale page.
IdeaScale is a crowdsourcing platform that allows users to publicly share and discuss ideas, as well as vote on their favorite ideas and topics presented.
This platform will provide a place for comprehensive and robust discussion of the sometimes controversial issues facing the task force, and will allow the fruitful conversations that have developed from the workshops to continue long after the panels have adjourned.
Our goal is to tap the distributed expertise of the American people through an open and earnest discussion on the best options for broadband in this country. We realize that government does not monopolize the best ideas, which is why we are making public engagement a priority.
I hope you take this opportunity to share your ideas and help advise the task force as it prepares to submit a plan to Congress by February 17th.
In another effort to bring 21st century communications to the agency and increase online citizen participation, you can now find the FCC on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter as well. We have also added over 40 new RSS feeds from the FCC, ranging from Commissioner's Statements to announcements of Public Notices.
These are just a few updates from our New Media Team's first month at the FCC. There will be many more to come.
Systems like the "IdeaScale" system have a terrible flaw: Ideas which are entered early have an almost insurmountable advantage over ones which are entered later. Any idea which gets a few positive votes early in the game rises to the top of the chart, getting more attention and more votes than others. What's more, it "looks like a winner" to newcomers because it's already at the top, and therefore garners still more votes.
No one who was skilled in doing scientific surveys would take the output of such a system seriously.We posted a blog applauding the work being done by the FCC on the social media front. I hope you will take a look: FCC Embraces New Media Tools http://shar.es/1b4M2
That ideascale page is awesome. I've never seen a federal agency get so involved with the public using the new mediums that are available. Bravo to the FCC.
Feb is good and all but how long will it take to get internet. More pressure needs to be put on providers. I don't have Internet besides my iPhone and I can only get edge in my area but am paying for 3g
I applaud the job of the FCC in trying and testing new ways for citizen engagement. Nothing is ever perfect on the first try, but I am glad that the FCC is taking the lead in trying to create an avenue for real participation as these tools grow.
What an amazing opportunity for civic participation! Its great to see the government taking an interest in capturing discussion like this and I am excited to see what is generated from input on ideascale.
eek! I went to the video of the FCC chairman speaking and the audio is messed up. y'all might want to take a look at that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IWaTaKJsTQ&feature=player_embedded#t=30
I guess the Commission thinks it is being very "high tech" by using a gimmick like crowd sourcing as an element of developing its National Broadband Plan, but I also hope someone there recognizes that these unscientific polls are subject to manipulation -- they only need to look at the ability of Stephen Colbert's followers overwhelm the vote that was set up to name the new node on the Space Station. Broadband is a critical element of our economy and our future -- the FCC should tackle its development with substance, not gimmicks.