Links to Peak Democracy Company's "Open Town Hall" Evaluative Articles

*Direct Democracy as illusion, my article that explores this premise as applied to this issue.  

Home town Berkeley paper describes devious activities of Peak Democracy company, and its founders--- you can skip the local details to get to the principle of selective reporting of their surveys to reach the results they, or their sponsors desire. 

Email Conversation ( in article April update) with unnamed city council member who followed up on some questions raised here.  It includes focused questions to the city manager on the economic value of the D.P. contract, and the larger issues of governance. 

Link to Column that accuses Peak Democracy of being dedicated to helping city government ignore the wishes of the public.

Link to Article by Zelda Bronstein  in Dissent Magazine that describes the formation of P.D., along with an intensive analysis of the deep harm of trying to transform the inherently emotionally stressful participation in local government into- as it's President describes, something to "delight and thrill"
  

UT article on the city's adoption of this service. 

Peak Democracy Terms of Service

required to be accepted by citizens to use this system.  I was told personally by the City attorney that this would be replaced by one dictated by the city.  Subsequent communication by Mr. Cohen to a member of the council, did not indicate any such global revision was anticipated by his company. 

Special notice should be given to this item from the terms of service which confirms the "60 minutes" story that exposes these practices:

13.1.Some of the Services may be supported by advertising revenue and may display advertisements and promotions. These advertisements may be targeted to the content of information stored on the Services, queries made through the Services or other information. 

13.2.The manner, mode and extent of advertising by PD on the Services are subject to change without specific notice to you.

Hackers Lurking in Vents and Soda Machines- N.Y Times article that describes how anything short of paranoia over these dangers is unrealistic.  Assuming that no harm will come with new internet based connections is gross irresponsibility.

Article describing the European Parliament advancing legislation to prevent Internet unapproved commercial use of private information. This would negate several of the TOS clauses of Peak Democracy--for them, not us.

Full Meeting Video (first 2hr. 40 min.) of presentation and discussion on March 5 of this issue