Washington, D.C. Learns to 'Wiki'
By Jim Harper, founder, WashingtonWatch.com
April 23, 2007
We've all heard of the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
After all, it's difficult to search for anything on Google or Yahoo! without a Wikipedia page appearing in the search results.
The technology behind Wikipedia has come to Capitol Hill and is now being used to define and comment on bills pending in Congress.
A "wiki" is a Web site that allows a group of users to create and edit content. The wiki at www.washingtonwatch.com is the first ever designed specifically for lawmakers, lobbyists, trade associations, and others involved in the legislative process.
An article in The Hill newspaper recently described WashingtonWatch.com this way: "The idea is to make it easier for the public to learn about legislation, and in a more user-friendly and interactive way than currently offered by THOMAS, the legislative site maintained by the Library of Congress."
Like Wikipedia, WashingtonWatch.com entries are turning up whenever interested voters turn to a search engine for information about H.R. 261 or S. 1092, for example, or any legislative issue.
For bill sponsors, WashingtonWatch.com provides a way to speak directly to the public through an unfiltered medium.
And because third parties can spell out the pros and cons of any bill, the non-partisan site will quickly become a critical component to any advocacy campaign.
WashingtonWatch.com also allows visitors to submit their comments, and vote on whether or not lawmakers should support or oppose a measure before Congress.
Best of all, adding content to the wiki can be as easy as cutting and pasting talking points or other educational materials that have already been created.
To sign up, simply visit www.washingtonwatch.com. A tutorial on the wiki can be found at www.washingtonwatch.com/wiki/tutorial.