Glocalize

Problem statement

During a crisis there are many challenges communities face: mobility could be limited; special precautions may be necessary; supplies may not be available. In these times of need and uncertainty it is important to have access to accurate information; stay in contact with the community; help each other out.

Proposed solution

Glocalize is a federated social network; different governments would run and control their own instance of the social network and federate with each other so the members of each individual platform can interact with each other if needed. As a local social network run by the government its main purpose would be to provide official information and to allow citizens communicate with each other. This communication would be aimed at local communities (i.e. by municipality or province or postal code, etc) allowing them to share relevant information about their community, build strong bonds and help each other out in time of need. As a federated social network people could organize around topics of interest and skills and share useful tips or knowledge useful during a crisis.

Work during the hackathon

During the hackathon we build a simple prototype of a social network where users can register, receive news from city officials and communicate with other people belonging to the same postal code to help each other out as needed.

Impact during a crisis

During a crisis this platform would provide the following benefits to local communities:

Receive accurate information from city officials
Organize themselves to help each other out, share skills and resources, etc.

In addition, as each individual social network is federated and interconnected with each other experts of different fields could share finding, knowledge, tips and help local communities which may have trouble finding special parts or skills needed to ensure the livelihood.

After the crisis

This type of social network where citizens are at the forefront of it and owned by government officials is interesting for many reasons:

As the platform is owned by city officials data can be protected to the highest standards and privacy can be put at the forefront instead of selling it to the highest bidder.
City and government officials would have it easier to reach their constituents and provide accurate and factual information about important events like tax declarations, important changes in the law or just about local events and festivities that may be of interest to the community
People may start interacting with their neighbors and build strong bonds and a sense of community
Local businesses of any kind could promote themselves and reach their local community; restaurants, artists, farmers, etc..., promoting the local economy.