4/13/2015
By Ivan Pereira
The City Council announced Monday that it will be taking new steps to increase its digital engagement with New Yorkers.
The “Council 2.0” road map aims to boost transparency on web, mobile and social media platforms. Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said New Yorkers have the right to see the government’s data and communicate freely with their elected officials 24/7.
“We want to meet people where they are most digitally active,” she said.
The Council will host a digital summit in July with engagement groups, residents and other associations to test new technologies. In the fall, it will launch labs.council.nyc to explore ways on improving the council’s website.
The Council will also create pilot a texting initiative that will push alerts and information to New Yorkers. Councilman Ben Kallos, said one of the roadmap’s biggest plans was to release more data from the Council and city agencies in databases that can be access by civic groups and the public easily for free.
“It means anyone who can access information when they want it on their own terms,” he said.
The road map also said the council will create a public tech team, made up of a social media manager, web/app developer, data analyst and others, who will keep assist elected officials create efficient digital practices.
