Internet use for social control and participation; what are lain american countries doing

Internet Use for Social Control and Participation

MSc. Ricardo MatheusPhD. José Carlos Vaz

MSc. Manuella Maia RibeiroPhD. César Alexandre de Souza

What are Latin American Countries Doing?

CITY, COUNTRY, XX-XX MONTH YEARTITE

PURPOSE

Case Studies of Digital Participatory Budgeting in Latin America: Models for Citizen Engagement

Beijing, China, 10-2010

Study the relationship between information and communication technologies (ICTs) and

local governance.

Experiences of the use of Internet in Participatory Processes

and

Social Control


THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK:CITIZEN RIGHTS (VAZ, 2005)



Citizen Rights on the Web

Right to be Heard by the Government (R2HG)People have the right of having direct channels for be heard.

OmbudsmanOnline Forum and Public Consultation

Right to Social Control of the Government (R2CG)People must have the power of accountability of their representatives.

Specifics Portals of TransparencyOnline Assistance – Chats and VideosAnti-corruption Monitoring SystemsInteractive Solutions (SMS)

Right to Participation in Public Management (R2PM)People have the right of having channels of direct communication and deliberation.

Digital Participatory Budgeting (DPB)Voting via Internet


CASES SHARED BY RIGHTS



Right to be Heard by the Government (R2HG)

1.Ventanilla Virtual, San Pedro, México

2.Chat com funcionários, Nuevo León, México

3.Chatea com tu funcionário, Hidalgo, México

4.Ombudsman of Salvador, Brasil





Right to Social Control of the Government (R2CG)1.Denúncia Corrupción, Guadalajara, México

2.Denounces Online, Guyaquil, Equador

3.Investigation and Analyzes, Cartago, Costa Rica

4.Denuncia Corrupción, Xalapa, México

5.Baja California Portal of transparency, Baja California, México

6.Caçapava Portal of Transparency, Caçapava, Brasil

7.São Carlos Portal of Transparency, São Carlos, Brasil

8.Mérida Portal of Transparency, Mérida, México

9.Trujillo Portal of Transparency, Trujillo, Perú

10.City Hall Online, Peñalolén, Chile

11.Rio de Janeiro Portal of Transparency, Rio De Janeiro, Brasil

12.Elementary School Accountability, Paraná, Brasil

13.Accountability of Participatory Budget, Porto Alegre, Brasil

14.Informaciones via SMS, Morón, Argentina





Right to Participation in Public Management (R2PM)

1.Ipatinga Portal of Monitorig System of Participatory Budget, Ipatinga, Brasil

2.Porto Alegre Portal of Monitoring System of Participatory Budget, Recife, Brasil

3.Bellavista Digital Participatory Budget, Bellavista, Argentina

4.Belo Horizonte Digital Participatory Budget, Belo Horizonte, Brasil

5.Citizen Consulting, Coyhaique, Chile

6.Neighbornhood Participation, Miraflores, Peru

7.Citizen Forum, Cali, Colômbia


THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK:CITIZEN RIGHTS (VAZ, 2005)




METHODOLOGY



•Structured search of sites in local in Latin American

•Literature search on key concepts and discussion of the relationship between local governance and social control / citizen participation

•Share experiences found in features;Anti-Corruption Monitoring Systems;

Accountability and Specific Sites;

Digital Participatory Budgeting;

Interactive Solutions;

Ombudsman from Public Administration;

Online Assistance (Chats & Videos);

Online forum and public consultation;

Votaing via Internet

Transparency Portals;

•Impacts of ICT usage in local social control/participatory processes.


DATA ANALYSES



Anti-Corruption Monitoring SystemsDenúncia Corrupción, Guadalajara, México

Denounces Online, Guyaquil, Equador

Investigation and Analyzes, Cartago, Costa Rica

Denuncia Corrupción, Xalapa, México

Accountability and Specific Sites;City Hall Online, Peñalolén, Chile

Rio de Janeiro Portal of Transparency, Rio De Janeiro, Brasil

Elementary School Accountability, Paraná, Brasil

Accountability of Participatory Budget, Porto Alegre, Brasil

Informaciones via SMS, Morón, Argentina

Transparency Portals;Baja California Portal of transparency, Baja California, MéxicoCaçapava Portal of Transparency, Caçapava, BrasilSão Carlos Portal of Transparency, São Carlos, BrasilMérida Portal of Transparency, Mérida, MéxicoTrujillo Portal of Transparency, Trujillo, Perú


DATA ANALYSES



Digital Participatory Budgeting;Ipatinga Portal of Monitorig System of Participatory Budget, Ipatinga, BrasilPorto Alegre Portal of Monitoring System of Participatory Budget, Recife, BrasilBellavista Digital Participatory Budget, Bellavista, ArgentinaBelo Horizonte Digital Participatory Budget, Belo Horizonte, Brasil

Voting via InternetCitizen Consulting, Coyhaique, ChileNeighbornhood Participation, Miraflores, PeruCitizen Forum, Cali, Colômbia


DATA ANALYSES



Interactive Solutions; Ventanilla Virtual, San Pedro, México Chat com funcionários, Nuevo León, México Chatea com tu funcionário, Hidalgo, México Informaciones via SMS, Morón, Argentina

Ombudsman from Public Administration Ombudsman of Salvador, Brasil


FINAL CONSIDERATIONS



FinalConsiderations


LIMITS AND CHALLENGES



Several technological resources could be used more intensively

Interactions through:Use of cell phones SMSUse of TelephoneLocation based services (LBS)

Social networking - how governments can use them?E-Democracia (Brazil)

Web 2.0 has not led to participation and social control in Latin American sub-national governments ...





Right to Social Control of GovernmentAbundance of initiatives

Emerged as a prominent object of cases studied (context of 20 years fighting corruption and dictatorships)

Pressure for deeper institutional changes (Mexico)Movement is not on the international agenda!

Diversity of applications because:Specifics law in Local/National GovernmentsRelative complexity of the features offered

They are still exceptions than rule! Information don´t have deep characteristics

Right is more a result of external forces more than a real government interest!





Right to be Heard by the GovernmentLimited use of interactivity resources, going little beyond common applications of communication by e-mail.

Difficulty in monitor government actions in response to:Suggestion,Complaint , orClaim

Few resources for tracking of claims or transparency of the workflow internal to the government! Minimal transparency of internal processes

Those experiences appear a “Good Will” of this or that politician…

Currently Low degree of institutionalization means the past of pattern authoritarian governments in Latin America.

Openness such as a “gift” from the government, not as a right of citizens!

What is the effective level of these instruments of communication between governments and citizens





Right to Participation in Public ManagementUncommon experiences of use of ICT for participatory processes

The experiments studied are the possibility of technology usage. However, cannot be considered a sample of current practices and not surveyed.

Internet resources can help expand participatory decision-making processes! Digital Participatory Budgeting

Attraction of new audiences (young, middle class)Simulate new forms of mobilization

Scope of those experiences are still very limited Insignificant amount of resources (1% of the total) Decision Making in specific times (why not all processes?)

Experiences are more like rulers than a construction of rights strongly grounded in society.


LIMITS AND CHALLENGES



Participative practices and social control over the Internet change the power relations?

Certainly not, if the participation and transparency are pro forma...

Who wins and who loses? Bureaucracy PoliticalMilitants of participation (counselors of traditional Participatory Budgeting)

The problem is not technological, is a political problem!

Thank you!谢谢

ICEGOV2010 Conference Committee

Ricardo MatheusUniversity of São Paulo (USP) - Brazil

[email protected]

Technology

Internet use for social control and participation; what are lain american countries doing