In Kohn's piece on the private nature of cyberspace, she raises several important questions regarding the role of the internet as a public forum. Local governments are increasingly turning to internet technologies as tools for engaging the public in the planning process. Kohn's writing predates the recent social media phenomenon, but it presents the caveats that should be considered before allowing public processes and events to be relocated from public spaces to e-spaces.
Digital technology has recently captivated the mind of both politicians and planners. Local governments have rolled out internet-based applications such as one that allows to citizens to easily record and submit the location of potholes. Considering that internet access is uneven across different socio-economic populations, these technologies have the potential to direct resources toward places of higher income.
One can easily imagine further applications that would move important public functions into the virtual sphere. As planners, we must investigate the equity implications of this transition to a internet-based medium of governance. Kohn argues that the private nature of the internet bolsters the argument for preserving public space, but it also raises questions about the use of new planning techniques that have developed out of the social media craze.