Last July, Nevadans from across the state sat down for a heart-to-heart about the rising cost of living, housing affordability, and how to build better schools for their children. But instead of convening in person for a town hall meeting, these residents discussed their concerns—and possible solutions—using an online platform called “Frankly.”
Created by Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig and his colleagues at the Applied Social Media Lab at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, Frankly is an open-source video platform designed to facilitate small-group discussions and decision-making. It’s like Zoom—but with more tools to foster productive, open conversations among friends and strangers alike, such as a time-bound agenda; the ability to create breakout rooms based on age, political affiliation, or other characteristics; and mechanisms designed to ensure that everyone in the room has a chance to speak.
In other words, the developers say, Frankly enables community members to have old-fashioned face-to-face conversations about issues they care about—in a distinctly modern way.
Already, the platform has been used by nonpartisan committees in Nevada and New Hampshire to engage residents and find solutions to local issues. The creators of Frankly also envision using the platform in other settings where discussion across difference can be challenging, such as educational institutions, government agencies, corporations, and civic organizations.
“Social media has given us the tools to scream at each other. What we need now is better tools to talk to each other, constructively and with patience. Frankly is our contribution to that social need,” Lessig says. “Here is a platform you can trust will be there for you, because it is licensed freely and forever.”
For more information, visit Frankly.org.
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