Public Interest Technology, Citizen Assemblies, and Performative Governance

Social activity can be directed toward attempts to produce, promote, or optimize a particular facet of that concept, such as social justice, common knowledge, or collective well-being. The relative success of such activity can be determined according to a metric, or system of metrics, that might be used to measure the performance, level, or quality of that facet. Technologies are developed as a consequence of such application pull, to help implement the policies which are intended to advance the public interest. Systems can then be designed using methodologies like value-sensitive design and operationalized to produce socio-technical solutions to support or complement policies which address environmental sustainability, social justice, or public health.