How Users Promote Accuracy and Balance
How do you know that the Kitchen Democracy tally accurately represents all residents?
We do NOT know that - and remind decision makers NOT to assume the Kitchen Democracy tally is an accurate sample of all residents. However, you can increase the significance of the tally by adding your own position, and encouraging your friends and neighbors to do the same.
Elected officials listen to residents however they choose to participate: official public meetings, neighborhood meetings, private conversations or on Kitchen Democracy. No single forum guarantees a representative sample of residents. Kitchen Democracy simply widens the scope of participation by providing an additional channel for residents to express their views.
But if the tally is not representative, couldn't it mislead decision makers?
Responsible decision makers understand that while the participants in an 11pm City Hall meeting are not necessarily representative, their comments and their number are important. Similarly, those decision makers will take the Kitchen Democracy statements and tally in context. If necessary, you can remind them.
Do you check the facts presented in statements?
No. Kitchen Democracy does not evaluate statements for accuracy; statements posted on this site are the opinions of the authors. We do not have the resources to check facts in statements, nor is it our role to do so.
I think that the article describing an issue is biased or inaccurate. What should I do?
If the issue is in the suggestion box, rate it low and provide suggestions for improvement to the author. If the issue is already open for public comment, describe the bias and your understanding of the truth in your statement. If you are motivated, write your own article and put a new issue in the suggestion box.
Why do you allow biased articles?
You may think that an article is biased, and we may even agree with you - but others do not. We don't decide what opens for public comment on Kitchen Democracy - users do. The issue selection process described above requires that every issue be judged balanced and important by the Kitchen Democracy users before it opens for public comment. While this does not guarantee balance, it is a democratic process which empowers you and your community to edit material for balance and accuracy.
Kitchen Democracy is not a newspaper. We neither select issues to publish, nor edit articles, nor express opinion. We implement a public comment process which empowers you and your community to exercise those roles democratically.
But decision makers could be influenced by a misinformed dialog. Isn't that dangerous?
That's always a danger - whether the dialog is in a public hearing, a private conversation or on Kitchen Democracy. The best protection is to expose decision makers and participants to as many viewpoints as possible - and that's precisely what you and your neighbors can do on Kitchen Democracy.
No one person or organization is qualified to determine the truth or balance of real life issues. Not the newspaper editor, not the decision maker, and not Kitchen Democracy staff. Good community decisions require good community input - and that's up to you and your neighbors.