CitizenLab launches open-source engagement tech

Technology company CitizenLab is launching an open source version of its community engagement software, in an effort to equip smaller organisations and communities.

The open-source code will be available from 31 March on GitHub, enabling civic organisations to deploy and run their own virtual consultation projects, for free.

The platform provides governments, local authorities, and membership organisations with a ‘digital democracy toolbox’.

This enables them to enrich community meetings with virtual discussion forums, organise votes on suggested policy changes, or gather new ideas through surveying tools.

The civic engagement tools have been developed through a recognition of the need to improve outdated bureaucratic processes with innovative technology, increasing transparency and political participation.

The open source software will be available through an AGPLv3 license, as demand for open software continues to grow amongst local governments.

This will allow for the features to be made fully accessible and replicable, enabling organisations to deploy the platform on their own servers, make changes to the code, and power basic community engagement projects easily and efficiently. This move will mostly benefit small organisations and civic groups, who until now may not have been able to afford a licence.

‘Our move to open source is a way to practice what we preach,’ said Civic Tech chief executive, Wietse Van Ransbeeck

‘We cannot credibly champion transparency and openness to the governments we work with, if we do not practice it ourselves, and if the underlying infrastructure is entirely closed-source. Democracy should not be left to the black-box algorithms of private companies – it belongs to all of us.

‘We have also noticed that the demand for open source is growing amongst local governments. Making the move to open source will enable us to collaborate with governments on high-impact projects and provide adequate tools for online deliberation at a regional or national scale.’

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