The U.S. Department of State has collaborated with UC Berkeley’s Center for New Media to come out with a new data visualization tool called Opinion Space. This tool allows you to voice your ideas on on foreign policy issues, and to see how your opinions stack up against others. The tool groups your ideas along with others into hotspots, and then visualizes it. You are not grouped based on geography (no red or blue states here) or categories (Republican versus Democrat) but on how similar your opinion is to others. You start off with 5 initial questions, and one discussion question. Then your responses are visualized.
The five questions cover nuclear weapons, proactive diplomacy, climate change, investing in food, and empowering women. The discussion question asks you what ideas you would give to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Unfortunately, you do have to register (and even put in your geographic location) to see your results. You can then view other responses and rate them up or down.
The U.S. Department of State is interested in your perspectives and input on a series of important foreign policy questions. “Opinion Space” is a new discussion forum designed to engage participants from around the world.
Every participant chooses a “point of view” on a global opinion map. Your position is not based on geography or predetermined categories, but on similarity of opinion: those who agree on basic issues are neighbors, those who are far apart have agreed to disagree. You can instantly see where you stand in relation to other participants; by reviewing their comments, you help the community highlight the most insightful ideas.
via : Opinion Space.
