User:Anhhung18901/Wikipolitics

Wikipolitics is a form of political participation that uses Internet collaborative software called wikis to accomplish specific tasks in real time, if necessary. A potential task is the drafting of legislation with the input of many people so that each participant can edit, modify, or adjust content; wiki software also allows users to discuss specific items. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales created Campaigns Wikia to provide a forum for wikipolitics.

History
Some of the first known uses of Wikipolitics began during the summer of 2005.

Pete Ashdown -- a democratic contender of U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Ut.) during the 2006 election cycle -- incorporated a wiki on his campaign site. He invited his supporters and other interested people to participate in drafting his campaign platform. He listed salient issues and took an initial stand on the issue’s main page while establishing a discussion page for others to discuss his stances and suggest other positions. Ashdown particularly liked a suggestion on the Iraq issue page when a user suggested that the Iraqi people hold a referendum to decide if they wanted the United States led coalition to remain in their country. He feels that the best policy ideas can come from the public rather than interest groups, corporations, or campaign donors.

While Ashdown used his wiki for collaboration, several American politicians censored their Wikipedia profiles to remove some unflattering material. For instance, an intern of seven-term Representative Martin T. Meehan (D-Mass.), as of 2006, removed a reference on his profile of an old promise that he would only serve four terms. However, sometimes staffers merely corrected inaccuracies like when 88 year-old Senator Robert Byrd's (D-W.Va.) profile stated that he was 188. Senator Tom Coburn's (R-Okla.) profile stated that he "was voted the most annoying senator by his peers in Congress" before a staffer removed the statement. In response to the censoring -- which is different from correcting -- Wikipedia blocked several Capitol Hill IP addresses from editing content on the site. It even listed those addresses for the public to see.

In July 2006, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales created Campaigns Wikia as a forum for Wikipolitics action.

Advantages of Wikipolitics
Wikis allow politicians to directly and quickly address input from wiki participants in a collaborative fashion. Traditional ways of contacting a politician like writing letters or e-mails and calling their offices are typically one-way means of communication that politicians can neglect purposefully or not. Wikis enable politicians and others to efficiently interact in a forum where all can see if the politician ignores input. Thus, wikis are a means to promoting more participatory democratic processes. They also promote greater transparency of the political process and enable constituents to better hold their elected official accountable for their actions involving policy formation.

Disadvantages of Wikipolitics
It is hard to control what is submitted to wikis. The likelihood of inaccurate, false, inflammatory, or insufficiently mediated material entering the forum is high at times. If an individual reads an uncorrected version of a page, they could act upon this incorrect information.

Some wiki software enable people to modify content anonymously, and this can allow biased, malicious, or unrelated parties (people who are not constituents of a certain politician, for example) to participate. However, software can require site registration upon which participants can go through a verification and vetting process. User tracking software is also available to catalog what a user’s IP address and location are. Further, a registration process can inhibit the attempts of spammers to vandalize wiki pages.

See the Criticism of Wikipedia article for other disadvantages of wiki-based projects.

Obstacles to overcome when using Wikipolitics
An important concern when using wikis for political purposes is the gap between the Internet savvy and unskilled. The use of Internet technologies is typically best understood by people who are at least middle class that are well educated and have easy access to an Internet connection at home, school, or work. However, many people lack the education, training, and access necessary for easy use of the Internet, and they would suffer from unequal representation compared to those who are savvy and have access. Further, older adults who may have above average academic training and the ability to acquire the resources necessary for easy Internet access may also lack the expertise to readily participate in Wikipolitics.

Another important concern of Wikipolitics is the vetting of information from wiki participants. While normal citizens may have great ideas, they may lack the necessary understanding of particular subjects to make truly competent policy suggestions. The key is to retain good ideas while enabling issue experts to sufficiently filter and mold ideas into viable policy.

Media references to Wikipolitics
The Wiki Effect – Jamie Gadette, Salt Lake Weekly, September 29, 2005

On Capitol Hill, Playing WikiPolitics – Yuki Noguchi, Washington Post, February 4, 2006

Your Comments: Shut out of the World Cup – Kevin Anderson, BBC's World Have Your Say blog, June 9, 2006

People Powered Politics – Kevin Anderson, BBC's World Have Your Say blog, June 9, 2006

What are you talking about? – Kevin Anderson, BBC's World Have Your Say blog, June 12, 2006

Guantanamo suicides, Gaza beach killings and wiki politics – Fiona Crack, BBC's World Have Your Say blog, June 12, 2006

Ashdown Seeks Input Online – Russell Wilde, KCSG-TV, June 13, 2006

Wikipedia founder launches political site - Caroline McCarthy, CNET News.com, July 6, 2006

Campaigns can become Wiki-fied - David Postman, Seattle Times, July 7, 2006

The wiki-fication of politics, local style - David Postman, Seattle Times's Postman on Politics blog, July 7, 2006