Online Social Networking and Citizen Engagement: Debating the Potential and Limitations

Empowered by the availability of social networking technologies with their inherent open philosophy, citizens around the world are increasingly participating in political activity on the Web. Recent examples range from opposing public policies, such as government funding cuts, to organizing revolutionary social movements, such as those in the Middle East. Although online spaces create remarkable opportunities for various forms of political action, there are concerns over the power of existing institutions to control and even censor such interaction spaces. The objective of this panel is to draw together different insights on the online engagement phenomenon and debate its potential and limitations as a mechanism for fostering democratic debate and influencing policy making. Panelists will explore recent examples from Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. The audience will be invited to contribute to the debate and bring their own experiences to bear on the discussion.