Stephen Hale

Head of Engagement, Digital Diplomacy

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Wednesday 12 November, 2008

eDemocracy and eEngagement

In my job I'm sometimes surprised by the expectation that I should persuade people to take web engagement seriously.

I think the argument is already won - you really don't have to look too hard to find examples of the web being used to engage, influence, and change lives around the world.

The Obama campaign showed the web playing a crucial role in the election of the most powerful man in the world. Videos delivered via the internet are being used to radicalise young men in Afghanistan. And - in our daily lives - social media is profoundly changing the way we communicate with each other. This is mainstream media now.

I was at the eDemocracy conference yesterday as part of a panel talking about government web engagement. The conference is a worthy exercise, bringing together practitioners to share ideas and experiences and learn from each other. We should spend more time talking about how - rather then whether- we do this kind of work.

Posted at 10:26 12 November 2008 by Stephen Hale  |  Comments[2]

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Unfortunately engagement is just another word for distributing government propaganda. For example your article above expresses the belief that videos through the internet are being used to radicalize young men in Afghanistan. How many internet cafes are they in Afghanistan? I don't think there is that many. It is the attacks against civilians by coalition forces that are likely the main reason that young men are being radicalized against the occupation in Afghanistan. By the way who is paying for Digital Propaganda?

Posted by Jojo on November 12, 2008 at 04:18 PM GMT #

Hello people I dont know why people think that all Afghans are living in STONE AGE... It is not like that man.... OK, maybe in some provinces or districts we are having some limitations.... But in our major cities we have everything... starting from Electricity, Water and whatever is there for the need of a normal man... And about internet .... I personally use internet at least 14 hours per day approx.... and there are hell lot of net cafes... and you know what...?? these days the FIBER OPTIC cables are being distributed in Kabul city , so very soon Afghans will be using High Speed Internet.... So POEPLE, please dont think that Afghanistan is just a place wihout anything other than mountains....

Posted by Johny (From Kabul) on May 12, 2009 at 06:42 AM BST #

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