So you think you know what "Gov 2.0" is. You have heard the term and maybe even have seen some of the recent coverage in the broader media, such as the CBS piece by Shira Lazar with Tim O'Reilly.
I have written previously about the amazing growth occurring in the Government 2.0 space. It is great. It is cool. We are breaking into "beyond the tech geek territory." Congratulations to all of us who collectively have been running with the flag. But the game is just getting started. In fact, it is not a game and is getting more serious each day.
Now is the time to seriously consider the following:
What exactly are we as citizen-people asking of our Government(s) through this Gov 2.0 Revolution?
Citizen 2.0 is rising as a parallel subject to Government 2.0 As it should. These momentous changes allow the people to get back in charge, back in the drivers seat. For too long, we in many countries have forfeited our own control over our governments. Gov 2.0 tools, applications and thinking allows for us to collectively take some ownership back. But what kind of ownership and control should we be seeking? Do we even know really? This is a big question. It is not only about changing conversations; allowing access to data in new ways, but indeed is really about citizens role in oversight of Government. We are witnessing a coming age of "Citizen Responsibility" only many don't know it yet. Citizens, pay attention. Apply your needs to the current situation.
We are now in the application phase. Things are starting to get done. In the United States, this coming October will see the first Federal Budget with actual hard dollars allocated to social media, Government 2.0 and even "Gov 3.0" applications. This will be agency by agency, and marks a historic shift. We will all see changes by this time next year.
As things are getting done and people are rolling their sleeves up and trying to bring the technology down to the local levels - the intensity will only grow. The intensity will soon become an unforgiving marketplace - stepping away from the early experimentation phase. Citizens around the World need to think of this as investing in your civic future. Do it early and smart and the benefits will multiply.