Local Digital Social Networks

A data-rich view of how (and what) local news is working on Substack

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In this blog, I argue that a solution to this issue is not only possible, but critically important to achieve. I propose that countries should reclaim the power to set the rules and mechanisms for digital spaces where civic discourse occurs, and apply an infrastructure mindset. They should advance social technologies to strengthen people’s... See more

Digital Public Goods

The understanding that at the core of a lot of the creativity that we saw come out of the industry of building software in the last 20 years was empowered by a very specific form of organization, and that we need to find alternatives to that form of organization…we’ve been focusing on the software, and not really focusing on the vehicles that

Social media differs from note-taking apps. Users provide content and interaction for free. "Why should I pay when I'm the one creating value?" Fair question.

But maintaining the space where that expression happens costs money. Playing in a park is free. Maintaining the park requires taxes.

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Strong ties like family, close friends, and churches are where ideas are nurtured and meaning is deepened. They are necessary, but limited. Weak ties are how information travels, how opportunities surface, how culture spreads. It is part of why social platforms are powerful. They dramatically increase our number of weak ties.

Strong ties create... See more

public service journalism is a load-bearing prerequisite for democracy

Ben Werdmuler

Regional differences in culture, resources, and context make it difficult to design AI systems that address locally specific concerns (Hsu et al., 2022). The hyperlocal knowledge and values that define a community are hard for nonlocals, such as Report for America-style outsider journalists, to understand (Wenzel et al., 2020). Even when trying to... See more

While technological innovations such as Facebook and NextDoor have made community-level discussion groups more accessible than ever, the public continues to view local journalism as more interesting, relevant, and trustworthy (Le Quere, Naaman and Fields, 2024). Those who read local news are more informed and more likely to be involved in their... See more

Greater exposure to higher-quality local news leads to more political participation (Shaker, 2014), reduced polarization (Darr, Hitt and Dunaway, 2021, 2018; Moskowitz, 2021), less corporate malfeasance (Heese, Pérez-Cavazos and Peter, 2022), healthier municipal finances (Gao, Lee and Murphy, 2020), and increased political competition (Rubado and... See more