Archive: Author: The Management

We first met the founders of Howcast.com at the State Department's Alliance of Youth Movements Summit. They were there to film some "how-to" guides for people interested in using social media to foster movements for human rights. Since then I've been peeking in from time to time on their work and getting increasingly more impressed with how they're navigating the new world of online video information sourcing. While a lot of the content on the site is generated by and for users (who earn reputation points by how others rate the quality of their offerings), Howcast is modeling a viderate style that is well worth studying. Advocacy groups of all stripes should take a look. For example, take a look at...

I just got off the phone with Chris Kelly, Chief Privacy Officer and Head of Global Public Policy at Facebook, and Adam Conner, its Washington DC Associate for Privacy and Public Policy, (and one-time techPresident blogger), talking about the company's move to involve its users in shaping a statement of "Facebook Principles" and accompanying statement of "Rights and Responsibilities." So far, Facebook has set up two "town hall" pages, for discussion of each draft document. It has promised to listen to user comments, to give folks advance notice of possible changes in the drafts, and "if more than 7,000 users comment on the proposed change, we will also give you the opportunity to participate in a vote in which you...

From time to time (like, every other day it seems), I get email from a reporter or an academic or a student with questions about the impact of the Internet on the 2008 election, or similar themes. Usually, if I have time, I try to answer those emails (and if I don't do it right away, they often fall by the way side). This morning was no different. A senior majoring in politics at Occidental College wrote saying, "I'm writing my senior thesis on the impact of new media in youth participation in national politics and I would love to get your thoughts to a few questions." But it occurred to me as I was responding to her questions that...

Here's a fun find: "Blogger Bob" Burns, who is in charge of the Transportation Security Administration's blog team, giving a short presentation to incoming Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano about the value of the TSA blog, "Evolution of Security.". A few facts from Burns about the blog: They got 800 comments on the first night of its launch, a sign that the public, and passengers in particular, needed a place "to vent." The site has gotten about 17,000 comments in all, and about 642,000 unique visitors. Many comments have also led to innovations in TSA screening practices, like the creation of a "black diamond" lane for experienced passengers. Here's Blogger Bob...

Welcome to the new and improved Personal Democracy Forum and techPresident websites. We've been plugging away with the help of Todd Ziegler, Andrew MacDowell and the good folks at the Bivings Group, along with some design assists from Jonathan Berger; we've kicked the tires and looked under the hood, and now it's your turn! Here's what's new: We've developed seven new Topic headings, or "verticals," covering everything from using Mobile and Video in online politics to Fundraising, Web Strategy, Advertising and of course, eGovt. Plus Cool Stuff, for the latest in gadgets, widgets and other toys. User Diaries: You can register on either site and start blogging! We'll keep an eye on what you're posting and good stuff will get elevated to the...

Yesterday, I tweeted a complaint that the public comment page on WhiteHouse.gov, where legislation is theoretically being posted five days before President Obama's signs it to allow the public to chime in, only allowed for a 500 character entry. This is absurd, I wrote. This morning, I took another glance and noticed the space allotted for comments had been expanded to 5,000 characters. This is much better, methinks. Though it's still a far cry from a meaningful use of the web to engage the public in monitoring and improving the legislative process. But I guess you have to take baby steps before you can walk. Now you can enter the full text of a Maureen Dowd column and still have 500 characters left...

It's been interesting tracking the coverage of Organizing for America's weekend "Economic Recovery" house parties. On the right, bloggers have been passing around Mary Katherine Ham's report from two lightly attended parties in the DC area, where she found Obama supporters who expressed "disappointment" with both the process and the content of the recovery package. On the left, my old friend and colleague David Corn, Mother Jones's Washington editor, has been blogging repeatedly about Obama's seemingly unwillingness to "use his army," criticizing the organizing effort for only asking supporters to talk to their friends and neighbors about the legislation, rather than call members of Congress urging its passage. Press reports have also been somewhat mixed. McClatchy's Frank Greve jumped out...

Check out this report from Clint Hendler of CJR.org, who is tracking President Obama's comments at today's town-hall meeting in Elkhart, Indiana. He quotes Obama describing Recovery.gov in the following way: “We’re actually going to set up something called Recovery.gov—this is going to be a special website we set up, that gives you a report on where the money is going in your community, how it’s being spent, how many jobs it’s being created so that all of you can be the eyes and ears. And if you see that a project is not working the way it’s supposed to, you’ll be able to get on that website and say, ‘You know, I thought this was supposed to be going to...

It looks like President Obama's email list still has a lot of punch to it. Yesterday, he sent out a mass email asking people to watch a four-and-a-half minute video addressing the Organizing for America house parties, and so far that video has garnered more than 460,000 views, nearly as many as his first video announcing OFA's launch. Beyond these metrics, it's pretty interesting to listen to how Obama's talks to his base. He doesn't use the word "crowdsourcing," but tell me if you don't hear it in how he describes how he plans to use the web to make sure his recovery plan works. Obama's message is in keeping with the intimate style he perfected during the election campaign. "Hi...

We will soon know just how big the sleeping giant of American politics, now known as Organizing for America (OFA, for short) actually is. That's because earlier today, David Plouffe, the group's de-facto boss, sent out an email asking Obama supporters to watch a video of the President defending his economic stimulus plan and urging them to share the video with others. At the same time, OFA has put out a call to its most active volunteers to organize "Economic Recovery House Meetings" for this weekend, and you can search for specifics on nearby meetings on the OFA website. Which means, for us number-crunchers here at techPresident, fresh data. So far, the Obama economic recovery video has garnered more than 42,000...