GroundSource allows communities to express their opinions
Trying to connect news organizations and politicians with communities is the goal of GroundSource, according to Andrew Haeg, who created the mobile app.
Haeg discussed the app on Oct. 30 at a keynote session of the Mobile Me & You conference held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
GroundSource, which was created in 2003, allows multiple people to communicate with others through text messages. Politicians or news organizations can receive immediate feedback from communities, such as where to build a new stadium or school. The app sends a question about the topic in a text message to every cell phone number in the area and people send their replies. It also allows users to ask news organizations questions and receive an answer privately.
“The idea is to create a two-way dialogue with your audience, not just distributing on social media,” Haeg said.
GroundSource is being accessed across the United States, and more journalists are beginning to connect to more people in their community. Journalists can contact several people in an area to hear their stories and to give a helping hand when need be, especially after a major disaster.
The app has helped with the problem of public meetings where only unreliable people showed up their opinions. Now people can just send a quick text message about what they think directly to city hall.
