There will be a continuing flow of audio, video, and written communications, dialogue exchanges, yes/no votes and polls, position papers and programs, interviews, speeches, presentations, and advertisements – all rattling around in cyberspace and all instantly available on command. And day by day, numerous polls and surveys, both official and unofficial, reliable and meretricious, impartial and self-serving will take the pulse of the public, and continuously tabulate political opinion. Using a designated personal code – one’s Social Security number, citizen registration number, or special-purpose phone number – each citizen’s message, vote, or question will be capable of being instantly tabulated and sorted to determine its legitimacy, what sort of interest group of geographic constituency it is part of, and whether enough citizens care sufficiently about a particular matter to be worth paying attention to.
Predictor: Grossman, Lawrence K.
Prediction, in context:In his 1995 book “The Electronic Republic: Reshaping Democracy in the Information Age,” Lawrence Grossman, former president of NBC News and PBS, writes:”Using computerized lists and on-line networks for different interest groups, individual citizens will … be able to send their own promotional material, propaganda, and publicity of all kinds in all formats to individuals, groups, and political representatives of their own choosing. There will be a continuing flow of audio, video, and written communications, dialogue exchanges, yes/no votes and polls, position papers and programs, interviews, speeches, presentations, and advertisements – all rattling around in cyberspace and all instantly available on command. And day by day, numerous polls and surveys, both official and unofficial, reliable and meretricious, impartial and self-serving will take the pulse of the public, and continuously tabulate political opinion. Using a designated personal code – one’s Social Security number, citizen registration number, or special-purpose phone number – each citizen’s message, vote, or question will be capable of being instantly tabulated and sorted to determine its legitimacy, what sort of interest group of geographic constituency it is part of, and whether enough citizens care sufficiently about a particular matter to be worth paying attention to.”
Biography:Lawrence Grossman wrote the book “The Electronic Republic: Reshaping Democracy in an Information Age” (Penguin, 1995). The former executive at NBC and PBS urged people to realize that digital communications had altered how things can and should be done. (Author/Editor/Journalist.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Getting, Sharing Information
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: The Electronic Republic (book)
Title, headline, chapter name: Chapter 7: The Shape of the Electronic Republic: The Citizens, the Congress, the Presidency, and the Judiciary
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 149
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne