British Tories use the wisdom of crowds.
A friend of mine once floated an idea about using the Internet to generate serious policy proposals outside the corrupted (or at least, special interest-influenced) environment of Washington, D.C. Well, it looks like David Cameron's Tories will give it a go:
The prize is an impressive £1 million pounds. But the competition is suitably difficult: the Conservatives want â??the best new technology platform that helps people come together to solve the problems that matter to them.â? So, theyâ??re after a new online network â?? a political Facebook â?? which will supposedly work on a national and a local level, helping people to share ideas about anything from â??tackling government wasteâ? to â??avoiding roadworksâ??.The proposal is a neat one and â?? being philosophically Conservative â?? should appeal to traditional Tory supporters. But how on earth to put it into practice? Team Cameron is certain that the internet will play a crucial role in the decentralisation of power. Yet, as Jeremy Hunt (Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport) recently said, â??there are currently no technological platforms that enable in-depth online collaboration on the scale required by Government.â? He says the million-pound prize â??is a good and cost-effective way of getting oneâ?. Letâ??s just hope it doesnâ??t signal a brick wall.
An interesting idea.
