Informatics is the science of processing, managing, and communicating information using digital technologies. It can be applied to various domains, such as health, education, business, and government. In this article, we will explore how informatics can enhance civic engagement, which is the participation of citizens in public affairs and decision-making.
Civic engagement is the act of contributing to the common good of a community or society. It can take various forms, such as voting, volunteering, protesting, donating, or joining a group. Civic engagement can also involve using digital tools and platforms to access, share, and create information related to public issues, such as social media, online petitions, blogs, podcasts, or e-government services. This is also known as e-civic engagement or digital civic engagement.
Informatics can enable and empower civic engagement by providing citizens with more information, opportunities, and resources to participate in public matters. For instance, citizens can use informatics to access and analyze data and evidence on public issues, communicate and collaborate with other citizens, stakeholders, and officials, create and disseminate content and opinions on public issues, as well as monitor and evaluate the impact and outcomes of public policies and actions. This could be done through open data portals, dashboards, visualizations, online forums, surveys, consultations, blogs, podcasts, videos, feedback mechanisms, indicators or reports.
In an increasing data-driven world with AI/algorithms, it is important to engage in ways that you are aware how your data are used, issues around consent and privacy, as well as making sure algorithms used on you are accurate. The more you contribute to data or engage in civic processes for oversight, the more control you have.
Informatics is constantly evolving and innovating to address the challenges and opportunities of civic engagement in the digital age. Emerging trends and innovations in informatics for civic engagement include Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to process large data sets and generate insights, Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) to verify and secure records, Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Cities to collect data from physical objects and environments, as well as Gamification and Behavioral Design to increase motivation and participation. These advancements can help citizens understand complex data sets, automate tasks, enhance transparency, improve efficiency, foster learning, influence attitudes, and enable new forms of interaction.
The emergence of the buzz around social determinates of health (SDOH) provide a framework and data set to bridge population health and individual care. Many of the SHOH represent barriers to health that can be influenced through visibility and civic action. SDOH also have a shared interest across payers and providers in both access to care and preventative care to decrease the acute care burden of healthcare.
Informatics can bring many benefits for civic engagement, such as increasing the quantity and quality of information available to citizens and decision-makers, enhancing the diversity of voices, improving public services, and strengthening trust in public institutions. However, informatics can also pose some challenges to civic engagement, including creating digital divides and inequalities, raising ethical and legal issues, generating misinformation, and exacerbating polarization among citizens.
If you're interested in learning more about informatics for civic engagement, there are many resources and opportunities available. You can read books, articles, reports, or blogs on topics like The Civic Media Reader by Eric Gordon and Paul Mihailidis or Civic Tech in the Global South by Tiago Peixoto and Micah Sifry. Additionally, you can watch videos, podcasts, or webinars on informatics and civic engagement examples like TEDx Talks by Beth Noveck or Civic Hall's Civic Tech Field Guide. You can also join online courses, workshops, or programs such as edX's Data Science for Social Good or MIT's Civic Media Collaborative Design Studio. Lastly, participate in online communities, networks, or events on informatics and civic engagement initiatives like Code for America or Open Government Partnership.