If Crowdsourcing Fails, How Does Democracy Prevail?

There’s been plenty of debate on the true value in crowdsourcing.

Just the other week many questioned American Idol’s crowdsourcing technique of asking audience members to text their vote for their favorites when Pia Toscano was voted off. Crowdsourcing was also in question with President Obama’s “Open for Questions” initiative when questions on the nation’s drug reform were at the top of the public agenda. In fact, the number one issue–not once, but twice–was the legalization of marijuana. And again, when Change.org held its crowdsourcing contest “Ideas for Change,” the legalization of marijuana also floated to the number one spot.

Before you say crowdsourcing is so 2008, give me a second. This may be an oversimplification–but I can’t get the thought out of my head. I understand the benefits of crowdsourcing–but there’s also a time and purpose to applying a crowdsourcing approach.

Here’s the leap: Is voting a form of crowdsourcing?

Having recently joined the army of weekday commuters, I just finished listening to Arianna Huffington’s Third World America on audiobook. (Note: Bush’s Decision Points is next on my “to read” list as I want to study differing viewpoints and perspectives.) Despite Huffington’s obvious leanings and strong (and sometimes distracting) language, she does make some interesting arguments. One of which is her look at education and its role on our economic and political structures, specifically, the American public’s access to quality information.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu8QDhNeNdQ&

Have you read Third World America? What were your thoughts and reflections upon reading it? And, is voting a form of crowdsourcing? One of the messages I appreciated most from Huffington’s book was her call for increased civic engagement from citizens ourselves as she did balance her argument asking for both policy changes as well as increased individual accountability.

Though I would have liked to hear more about the solutions she proposes to the problems she outlines, she does encourage people to visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/third-world-america, as a hub for getting involved and taking action (a smart move on her end I must say).

Additional Resources:

Third World America: Why I Wrote the Book and What We Need to Do to Save America’s Middle Class by Arianna Huffington
Editorial: Obama’s Third World America, Washington Times
How You Can Prevent America from Ever Becoming a Third World Country, Huffington Post

“Seek knowledge. Ask questions.”

4 thoughts on “If Crowdsourcing Fails, How Does Democracy Prevail?”

Deprecated: Function get_magic_quotes_gpc() is deprecated in /home2/flyfouch/public_html/wp-includes/formatting.php on line 4387

Deprecated: Function get_magic_quotes_gpc() is deprecated in /home2/flyfouch/public_html/wp-includes/formatting.php on line 4387

Tonya Van Dijk April 20, 2011 at 6:39 am

Is voting a form of crowdsourcing?

Zoetica CEO Beth Kanter classifies voting as one of the four models of crowdsourcing. To know more about her insights, read more at http://crowdsourcing.org/l/958.

Alex Bornkessel April 20, 2011 at 7:38 am

Tonya,

Great post! Thank you for sharing Beth’s wise words with us. In general, voting can be used as a form of crowdsourcing. I also appreciate how Beth asks people: Is crowdsourcing new? and drives home the message that it is not. This is where I feel my specific question in this post comes in.

My question is: Is voting in the presidential election a form of crowdsourcing? And if so, how do we protect it from the pitfalls of crowdsourcing (and help democracy prevail)?

Best,
Alex

Tonya Van Dijk April 20, 2011 at 10:31 pm

Voting is just voting. By itself it is not a form of crowdsourcing as there is no collective action – it’s the independent action of individuals who are expressing an opinion. However, the means by which Obama raised funds for the Presidential election by using online communities to organize collective action could be deemed a form of crowdsourcing (or crowdfunding) as the actions of individuals were organized into a collective movement. There is a lively debate on what can be defined as crowdsourcing what should not be crowdsourcing so it comes down to what definition you believe. In contrast, a narrower definition stipulates that it is only crowdsourcing if individuals self organize to jointly contribute to produce or to solve a problem as a group.

Kind regards,

Tonya

khairul April 22, 2011 at 8:26 am

i love your article..

Comments are closed.

SocialButterfly

Exploring the Art + Science of Social Change.

4 thoughts on “If Crowdsourcing Fails, How Does Democracy Prevail?”