eDemocracy is currently limited in scope and success due to the way in which it has been approached by government. The trends amongst elected representatives and public sector officials have been of indifference, and occasionally hostility, towards the principles and practical applications of eDemocracy. Aversion to incorporating eDemocracy initiatives, even those derived from models of lower interaction, is just as rampant – if not more so – in Australia. While there are obviously exceptions to this conclusion, in general terms politicians and bureaucrats have failed to incorporate commitments to transparency, openness, empowerment and engagement into either the ‘big picture’ or routine operations.
The public consultation conducted towards formulating the South Australian Strategic Plan – intended as a plan that “maps out a comprehensive path to the future” – is, in some ways, one of the notable exceptions. The methods and depth of consultation have broadened with each update to the Plan, yet have largely emphasised traditional face-to-face approaches. It is questionable whether the process is fully leveraging the potential of online tools; raw data is limited and difficult to access, areas for online submission of ideas and discussion are limited, updates are sporadic, and levels of online interaction between citizens and public officials appear low. Moreover, it lacks a deliberative or civic education aspect, yet this is likely resulting from the intentional adoption of a consultative model rather than a deliberative-participatory model of online democracy. While there is room for improvement, it is a positive and critical first step that has been made with little rhetorical or practical support, at a national level, towards enriching democracy and leveraging technology towards that end.
The broad antipathy that has hampered the expansion of online democracy has been attributed to a wide range of factors:
The United States, in both rhetoric and policy, has largely led the world in the area of eDemocracy initiatives. In the specific area of eGovernment, however, it has been consistently outpaced by South Korea. Yet the Obama administration, in the space of just two years, has dramatically expanded state efforts toward exploiting technology for the reinvigoration of the democratic system. The Open Government Directiveof the Obama administration provides an ideal framework
through which to analyse the role of government in eDemocracy. The directive
consists of two key aspects: an inward-looking branch, which utilises
technology and the internet to improve the operations of government; and an
outward-looking branch that focuses upon leveraging technology and online
platforms to cultivate a more active, informed and engaged citizenry.
The role of government, therefore, can be described as follows: