Twitter bot now tracking Wikipedia edits in legislature
A new Twitter bot from WRAL News will track and publish anonymous edits to Wikipedia pages originating from the General Assembly.
Posted — UpdatedThis week, WRAL News followed suit.
There is a catch. North Carolina offers open, free WiFi within the legislative complex, so @NCGAEdits will specify whether the edit came from a user of the legislative complex's hard-wired network, which is available only to lawmakers and staff, or the public WiFi, accessible by General Assembly staff as well as media, lobbyists and other visitors.
In a citizen legislature like North Carolina's, it's important to understand the origins of the research, arguments and talking points lawmakers use to craft policy and shape public sentiment.
A Twitter account won't fix the transparency problem, but the project may give glimpses – delivered automatically and in real-time – that add just a little to the public understanding of Jones Street. It might help spot conflicts of interest or emerging controversy. Maybe it will help people ask better questions.
Then again, it might not end up being interesting at all. The only way to know is to give it a try.
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