The prediction, in brief:

The ability of groups of citizens to debate political issues is amplified enormously by instant, widespread access to facts that could support or refute assertions made in those debates. This kind of citizen-to-citizen discussion, backed up by facts available to all, could grow into the real basis for a possible electronic democracy of the future.

Predictor: Rheingold, Howard

Prediction, in context:

In his 1991 book “The Virtual Community,” Howard Rheingold writes:”The increasing digitization and availability of information collected by governments at taxpayer expense is another converging force that is pushing the Net toward a critical mass. More and more public and government databases are going online at local and national levels. The coexistence of very large and up-to-date collections of factual information in conjunction with a medium that is also a forum for discussion and debate has important implications for the public sphere. The ability of groups of citizens to debate political issues is amplified enormously by instant, widespread access to facts that could support or refute assertions made in those debates. This kind of citizen-to-citizen discussion, backed up by facts available to all, could grow into the real basis for a possible electronic democracy of the future.”

Biography:

Howard Rheingold, one of the first writers to illuminate the ideals and foibles of virtual communities, published a webzine called Electric Minds and wrote “Virtual Reality,” “Smart Mobs” and “Virtual Community.” He also was the editor of Whole Earth Review and the Millennium Whole Earth Catalog. (Research Scientist/Illuminator.)

Date of prediction: January 1, 1990

Topic of prediction: Global Relationships/Politics

Subtopic: Democracy

Name of publication: The Virtual Community

Title, headline, chapter name: Chapter Three: Visionaries and Convergences: The Accidental History of the Net

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.rheingold.com/vc/book/3.html

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Smith, Ian T.