How social media can improve city life
During a conference in New York on February 15 2012, organized by UN-HABITAT and the MIT Center for Civic Media, academics, professionals, researchers and students teamed up to find innovative plans on how social media can improve city life. During several presentations and subsequent brainstorm sessions, the participants investigated possible social media solutions for urban challenges on numerous issues.
Social media can map people’s demands and uses of the city
The discussion was based on 7 presentations on the relation between social media and urban life and policy. Social media, it appears, can be quite useful in gathering information about people’s demands and uses of the cities structure and facilities. Examples included:
- The use of Twitter to collect data on people’s feelings about transportation;
- Using the MIT developed application ‘Place Pulse' to gather data about perceptions of the city vs. the real data on city issues such as public safety;
- Collecting data through social media on how different areas of the city actually function.
Empowering citizens through social media
Another angle which was covered by the presentations was that of how social media can strengthen the position of citizens. Topics of presentations included:
- The use of design technology for online mapping and digital signs, with the purpose of fighting social exclusion;
- Engaging the public in discussions about the city;
- How architecture and social media can complement each other.
Brain storm sessions to investigate social media’s potential to solve urban issues
After the short presentations, the participants were divided
into 9 brainstorm groups. Each group had the assignment to come up
with 3 big ideas on how social media can help address 1 of 9 urban
issues, namely: climate change and energy, governance, culture,
transportation, public safety, design, citizen engagement and
neighborhoods, public spaces, and economic vitality.