Instead of focus group-ing youngsters and giving them tired labels, we thought it better to ask them a bunch of questions, like whether they carry knives and wear a hoodie, in an open web space, visualise the results in smart interesting ways, and then set the data free with our API to allow everyone else to do the same. The more data we collect, the more we hope to influence those who try to stereotype and misrepresent. The project began in July 09 and runs ’til the Autumn – and the plan includes an internet-enabled robot writing out what young people care about in real-time, in Parliament. Really.

The project is a prototype and touches on a number of issues we are interested in – transparency, new models of engagement and public consultation, open data, open government and yes, robots connected to the internet.

Write-up in Telegraph