Internet democracy is a derivative term for e-democracy (electronic democracy), especially related to projects and concepts centered on using the Internet (and not other electronic communications technologies like short message services or teletext) for deliberative and participatory aims. Concrete implementations of Internet democracy projects include electronic town hall meetings or citizen consultations, the use of discussion boards on party or candidate websites and the virtualization of traditional political institutions or mechanisms like party conventions, protest marches or petitions.

While some see Internet democracy in its different flavors as the next step towards "real democracy," and as the tool that finally helps to eliminate the distance constraints in direct democracy and increase the degree of interaction between politicians and the public, others compare it with similar hypes which came with every new medium, especially radio broadcasting (Bertolt Brecht's utopia), cable television (teledemocracy) and VCRs.

Important qualities of the Internet

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There are important differences between previous communication media and the Internet that are relevant to the political usage of the Internet.

Most importantly the Internet is a many-to-many communication medium where radio and television, which broadcast few-to-many, and telephones broadcast few-to-few, are not. Also, the Internet has a much greater computational capacity allowing strong encryption and database management, which is important in community information access and sharing, deliberative democracy and electoral fraud prevention. Further, people use the Internet to collaborate or meet in an asynchronous manner—that is, they do not have to be physically gathered at the same moment to get things accomplished. Due to all these factors, the Internet has the potential to take over certain traditional media of political communication such as the telephone, the television, newspapers and the radio.

Other meanings

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Internet democracy is also used in reference to:

• Self-regulation of the Internet and the development of its constituent technologies through "rough consensus and running code," RFCs and expert boards.
• Participation of Internet users worldwide in non-governmental bodies that are setting Internet policy, to advocate that these bodies adhere to principles of open participation, public accountability and human rights.

See also

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• Democracy (varieties)

• Cyberactivism
• eGovernment
• Electronic advocacy
• Electronic voting
• Emergent democracy
• Hacktivism
• ICANN
• Internet activism
• Online consultation
• Radical transparency
• Second Superpower

External links

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• DirectGov Government Consultations — UK citizens shape government policy by taking part in online consultations.
• Relation to direct democracy — See the section "The electronic dimension"
• A Time for Censorship, a Time for Freedom — Opinion essay on how a "global internet panel" is dangerous for freedom of speech.
• Vermont Democracy Network

Politics and technology