Silicon Valley Makes Social Networking Political

Verafirma's Democracy Project could bring ballot initiatives online

President Barack Obama may have run the most digitally advanced campaign in history, but he has nothing on a new group of armchair politicians.

A Silicon Valley company wants to arm the smartphone-equipped massses with the ability to effect change with the swipe of a finger.

Verafirma's new product, the Democracy Project, lets activists collect signatures for ballot initiatives through social networking sites like Facebook -- even on an iPhone or Droid.

Some worry the digital tool is too much power to put in the hands of nutjobs and loose cannons to get crazy measures on the ballot. And some blame California's initiative process for bankrupting the state and tying the hands of politicians trying to fix its budget.

Perhaps the best use of the Democracy Project will be to pass an intitiative banning initiatives.

Contact Us