網路平台對北投社區之可能影響研究：資訊科技、公民團體與民主關係的初步分析

A Preliminary Analysis of the Relationships among Information Technology, Civil Groups, and Democracy based on Beitou Community

從「全球公民社會」與「初級至三級社群」兩派學術文獻對資訊科技如何透過中介的社群，推進民主的正反討論中，我們分析出一個有待檢證的重要假設：到底資訊科技是如全球公民社會論者所說，透過公民團體內部擴大資訊來源與成員平等近用的機制，而有助於民主發展；還是如初級至三級社群論者所想，因為公民團體內部易分化為派系的傾向，使得資訊科技反而傷害了民主？面對這樣的假設，本文要以台北北投社區中，互相角力的公民團體競相使用網路平台（視訊會議、PeoPo公民新聞）的個案，初步檢定這一假設的真偽。檢定結果則傾向支持初級至三級社群論者的悲觀看法，即在資訊科技不夠普及、數位落差存在的情況下，網路新科技只是增強北投已分裂的公民團體各自追求其民主議題的論述能力，截至目前為止它無法跨越、遑論整合不同團體而提升地方的民主動能。

Recent discussion from the literature of global civil society and that of the trichotomy of social group suggest an important hypothesis of the relationship between information technology (IT) democracy. The globalists proposed that IT promotes democracy by expanding sources of information for civil groups and by raising the accessibility for their members. The trichotomists suggested that IT demotes democracy because factions in the civil groups simply use it for their sectarian interests. Based on the hypothesis, this paper specifically targeted on the IT experience of Beito district, a suburbian community located at the northern edge of Taipei city, in its effort of pursuing deliberative democracy. The results indicated pretty much support the trichotomists' account, such as internet as applied in the online conference and in the platform of civil news raises the ability of factional groups to articulate their own issues. However, so far it has failed to consolidate the sectarian interests hence that a greater democracy should be promoted.