the digital divide and civic tech (tictec 2016, helen milner)
TRANSCRIPT
Helen Milner OBEChief Executive, Tinder FoundationCommissioner, Speaker’s Commission on Digital Democracy
The Digital Divide: Civic Tech is leaving 4 billion people behind
4,207,692,038
A world where everyone benefits from digital
Access isn’t enough
Digital literacy isn’t enough
For example“I can upload anattachment in email”
“I use email toapply for jobs”
“I get a job,I have moremoney, I am more confident”
Local + DigitalBlend of face-to-face support +
online tools
5000 local UK partners, 25,000 volunteers
A big club with a shared vision
We measure and evaluate everything
we do
How do we measure our impact?• Digital Outcomes: confident and independent
internet users; people are more motivated to be online and understand how they can personally benefit
• Economic Outcomes: able to manage money better & have more money; more employable; more entrepreneurial
• Health & Social Outcomes: healthier; less isolated; more connected to community; more able to participate; better informed; more confident
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tABiuQcfxtc
Social challenges, digital solutions: stories on tackling worklessness, managing long term health, community cohesion through language, tackling challenges to homelessness
Measuring impact through stories
Watch 2 min film:
Open up!Report of the Speaker’s Commission on Digital Democracy
Published: 26 Jan 2015
Open up!Report of the Speaker’s Commission on Digital Democracy
Published: 26 Jan 2015
Open up!Report of the Speaker’s Commission on Digital Democracy
Published: 26 Jan 2015
30 million35 millionUK Facebook Users UK 2015 General
Election Turnout
Five headline recommendations1. By 2020, the House of Commons should ensure that everyone
can understand what it does. 2. By 2020, Parliament should be fully interactive and digital. 3. The 2015 newly elected House of Commons should create
immediately a new forum for public participation in the debating function of the House of Commons.
4. By 2020, secure online voting should be an option for all voters. 5. By 2016, all published information and broadcast footage
produced by Parliament should be freely available online in formats suitable for reuse. Hansard should be available as open data by the end of 2015.
Some good news since report» Parliamentary Digital Service set up» E-Petitions new site and clear processes» 100,000 signatures considered for debate in
Parliament» Heatmap - petition signatures ‘near you’» Westminster Hall - “Cyber Chambers”
» Transparency: Open Hansard hansard.digiminster.com
BUT …
Who makes the decisions that affect
you?
Who has the power, and are they willing to
share it?
A digital tool can fix that …..
What’s the problem?
politically active
digitally active
digitally not active
politically not active
?x
politically active
digitally active
digitally not active
politically not active
?x
Better for the already engaged?
For real action
InformedInvolvedIncludedEngaged
Interaction
The reality …» Without systemic change MPs (elected
representatives) will get overwhelmed» Need better digital tools to help them» Need to want to do democracy differently» Need more multi-sector partnerships
This stuff is hard» Democracy must be about more than elections
… real and ongoing engagement» Digital isn’t a silver bullet» Need systems and culture change
It’s about people» Real change happens through co-creation that
involves those in power and those with the least power
» Digital can help the culture change that’s required» do more out in the open » more collaboration» more co-ownership, co-design, co-fund
» Tinder Foundation experience .. not digital alone, face-to-face important too
Local + DigitalBlend of face-to-face + online tools
4,207,692,038
