In light of the recent FBI warning against publicly sharing video conference service links, we've received an influx of questions about hosting public meetings virtually. Thankfully, this is a completely solvable problem, and a set of new solutions are in places as part of the PublicInput.com toolkit. Today we're announcing a new secure, access-controlled approach to public meetings. These slides outline the details, and there's a video announcement at https://publicinput.com/virtual-meetings-video-040320

1. COVID-19 is disrupting the public process

2. The core issue: public meetings
We can’t hold meetings, resulting in:
Delayed projects and missed opportunities
Frustrated elected officials
Critical public processes derailed

3. What about social live streaming?

4. Social live streaming reaches more residents
Especially for low-income families, rural residents, or those without broadband.
20%
of Americans rely on
mobile phone data for internet
(can’t access webinar format)
81%
of Americans
Have a smartphone
35%
of US minorities rely on
mobile phone data for internet

5. But social live streaming has serious shortcomings
Limited to one presenter or one room
Unmoderated public comments
Drawbacks
Deleted comment records liabilities

6. What about off-the-shelf conferencing tools?
Multiple presenters
Staff familiarity
Benefits
Almost free

7. Conferencing tools are not built for public participation
Require broadband or downloaded apps
Access control issues
Unstructured, un-moderated comments
Drawbacks
Relinquishing screen control to facilitate public comment
Public records lost in chat windows

8. And have given rise to meeting ‘conference bombing’
Initially there were 2-3 stories per day.
Now, it’s becoming the norm for public meetings hosted on popular conference services.

9. A virtual public meetings solution must:
Provide a way for multiple presenters to engage remotely
Capture, moderate, and retain all public comments
Allow access for residents without broadband internet
Allow open participation without registration or downloads
Protect against hijacking and trolling

10. Creating two rooms: public and access-controlled
Multi-channel public access Protected meeting room
Moderated comments
Dial-in speaker queue
Access control &
public comment management
PHONE

11. Introducing: Secured Virtual Public Meetings
1. No login, password, or
downloads needed — just
share a website address
2. Call-in access for residents
with limited Internet access
3. Multiple remote presenters,
visible to but isolated from
the public
4. Unlimited number of
attendees
5. Comment management,
moderation, and retention
(optionally make all private)
6. Protection from meeting
crashers and hijackers

12. Ensuring equity of access
All resident voices have equal footing - whether online, over the phone,
or by text message.

13. Managing a speaker queue
Welcome to the meeting.
Press 1 to listen to the meeting.
Press 2 to leave a voice comment.
Press 3 to be added to the speaker
queue.
3
You’ve requested to speak and are 1st
in the speaker queue.
You will hear a voice prompt when it is
your turn.
Press star 4 to cancel.
Unmute participants and manage a dial-in queue from the dashboard.

14. Set up in minutes from the dashboard
Schedule a call in your conference tool Paste the link into PublicInput.com
Go live to Facebook or Youtube, and paste in the public link
1 2
3

15. Build a foundation for continuous engagement
Catalog every participant and automatically sync with your Resident Database to
maintain public records and keep residents engaged into the future.

16. Deploy this for your organization
Current Clients PublicInput.com/Meetings-Guide
PublicInput.com/Create-Dashboard
Consultants
New Clients
PublicInput.com/Partners