Civ.Works — Civic Engagement Platform

civ.works is a civic engagement platform with an important purpose. As President Eisenhower noted, “Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the rights and privileges of free people.” Built with the resistance in mind, the platform is a privacy-protected, ad-free social network designed to empower people through sustained, meaningful civic engagement.

civ.works was launched in March 2017. Starting with an open-source software platform, civ.works integrated tools which automate the collection of civic actions at the local, state, national and international level and then carefully distributes them to subscribers based upon their issue preference and geography. The platform also features group tools, which allow advocacy organizations to use the privacy-protected platform for their constituents. By December, civ.works reached 1,000 subscribers.

The Future of Civic Engagement

Throughout 2018 civ.works will continue to focus on the mission of increasing civic participation. To support this mission, investments will be made in the following features:

• SmartALEC/Consensus: This feature provides a guided social mechanism for subscribers committed to greater participation in civics and democracy through consensus-building and model law/policy.
• NewsTrust: civ.works will partner with ProPublica, Politifact and other emerging services to provide a trust-rating overlay to news shared on the platform.
• Virtual TownWorks: This will radically improve the participatory relationship between elected officials and elected bodies and their constituents by creating private virtual townhalls.
• Mobile Platforms: This will provide key civ.works features in a new mobile app for Apple and Android users.

civ.works is turning words into action. Together, we will strengthen democracy through trusted information, education and engagement using a 21st Century “Townsquare” approach. civ.works platform provides vital, long-term organizing infrastructure for all people who aspire toward opportunity, justice and equality for this and future generations.

At civ.works, there is no greater truism than that espoused by Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” The future of our democracy depends on it.

For more information on what’s in our roadmap for civ.works, please visit https://www.slideshare.net/georgepolisner/civworks-2018-program-priorities