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Iceland Lets Facebook Fans Help Write New Constitution

Highly-wired country crowdsources new document

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 10, 2011 2:35 PM CDT

(Newser) – The council drafting Iceland’s new constitution is out to bring new meaning to the term “by the people.” They’re essentially crowdsourcing the document, the Guardian reports, using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to solicit ideas and get feedback from citizens. “I believe this is the first time a constitution is being drafted basically on the Internet,” one council member said.

The current draft is updated every week online, with people welcome to comment either on the council’s website or on Facebook. “The public sees the constitution come into being before their eyes,” the council member says. The council started work based on a national forum held last year with 950 randomly selected people. They’re hoping to have a draft untouched by parliament put up for referendum in July.

Iceland's Althingi (parliament) meets to discuss its debt in this Jan. 8, 2010 file photo.
Iceland's Althingi (parliament) meets to discuss its debt in this Jan. 8, 2010 file photo.   (AP Photo/Brynjar Gauti, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
malikov
Jun 20, 2011 10:38 AM CDT
Constitutions are different. By the size of jurisdiction the Icelandic constitution is a medium city by-law. Of course it's all eventually going to be online, but for it to be efficient we need to breed culture of online communication and learn what works and what doesn't. So in US one shouldn't start with the Constitution. We need a few years of getting used to the idea. For that I am building a service called Law Delta (as Nile delta), where there will be accessible all laws (some federal already are), where people can read, discuss, vote, and propose their own bills. I am trying to promote political culture and legal awareness that will help bring the future nearer. http://lawdelta.org
genghisKhanifer
Jun 10, 2011 3:21 PM CDT
While I applaud the notion - have you ever read through Facebook 'updates', musings, and comments? Merely one step up from YouTube ramblings. I hope Iceland has better educated people than we do in America. (Actually, why would I doubt that?)
finkster
Jun 10, 2011 3:00 PM CDT
And once completed that should last about a month. 
 

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