Much has been made of the ability for internet technologies to herald a new era of participatory democracy.  However, current structures of governance and representative democracy have evolved for many reasons: deliberative analysis, recognising resource constraints, balancing competing demands, and taking a long-term perspective.

Social technologies have massive potential to involve the public across the policy lifecycle - from identifying issues to identifying alternative solutions, from designing public interventions to their delivery.  It is certainly possible that, properly administered, the “Wisdom of the Crowds” can extend and improve the way we consider and develop policy.

But equal to the opportunities of these technologies are the inherent challenges of mass deliberation.  How do we efficiently “take onboard” hundreds or thousands of different comments?  How do we avoid the vocal minority from hijacking debate from the quiet majority?  How do we ensure meaningful deliberation?

This shift offers new opportunities for online public diplomacy in terms of advocacy and, especially, policy development – through online collaboration among policy-makers within governments, and also between governments and citizens across the globe, to address cross-national policy challenges such as resource competition, sustainable development and interethnic conflict. Online advocacy and policy development provide governments with clear benefits, but also carry risks.

- Prof. Evan Potter, USC Centre of Public Diplomacy