The Future of the Internet and Democracy Beyond Metaphors, Towards Policy

This paper argues that much analysis of the relationship between the Internet and democracy has been obscured by the use of metaphors. The paper seeks to root e-democracy within the context of changing democratic culture and procedures. A model of information-flows for e-democracy is outlined. A number of policy objectives are set out, including the creation of trusted online spaces for democracy integration of e-democracy into constitutionally recognised channels the cultivation of meaningful interactivity between representatives and represented the recruitment of traditionally excluded voices to online public debate, ..