The Initiative for eParticipation's second study on citizen participation over the internet analyzed the websites of all 83 German cities above a population of 100,000. A ranking system was applied that rewarded points if cities offered comprehensible and comprehensive information on current political issues, if political decision makers could be addressed through the web, and if citizens were invited for deliberation through discussion forums or chats. The Initiative eParticipation encourages policy makers and adminstrators to make use of internet-based participatory methods when decisions with far reaching consequences for citizens are made. The study is available for download in German at www.Initiative-eParticipation.de. In English and German.(Original source: http://www.zebralog.de/en/000136.html)
