Of course this would need to be something people opt into, and presumably right-wing nutjobs wouldn’t trust it (or anything that threatens their narrative).
However, the concept is sound.
Individual people in large cities are randomly organised into groups of say 100 people. The ideal size could be determined via doing, and it is quite likely a lot smaller. Ideally you get a feel for the other participants, and getting to know them a little makes them more real, their opinions more tangible.
One purpose of the group is to chat about everyday things. Does anyone know where to buy X? The sort of questions that pop-up on community groups in Facebook.
But the other purpose is to help dispel rumors and lies. For example, a recent poll in the US had 50% of respondents saying they personally knew someone who died of COVID, and 25% knew someone who died from the vaccine.
A small random group discussion could soon confirm or deny such info. People saying such things are true could be politely grilled to see if they actually knew someone, or had just heard something.
In a way it replicates one of the good things about small town living, but in a big city.
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