President John F. Kennedy stated in his inaugural speech on January 20, 1961, "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Though times have changed significantly, these lasting words continue to resonate for many Americans today.

Our involvement in communities is one way of answering the challenge of what we can do our country. Reporting of issues that affect our local communities, the organizing of groups and events, and generally being a steward of our local communities can positively affect the community as a whole. The question of how to even get involved--and finding time to do so--has been traditionally challenging.

Hyperlocal websites like SeeClickFix.com have enabled efficient community involvement through their technologies. They have opened new communication channels to local government officials and to the community. Ease of use, anonymity (when needed), and 24x7 posting availability are just some of the advantages of using hyperlocal websites to report local community issues or events. Posting of issues and events in real time--and making it available for the public to view, comment, and organize--changes the dynamics of how we interact within our communities. The days of mailing letters to your local representatives and organizing events via flyers are limited.

Hyperlocal websites and the technologies they utilize enable us to become more active in our community with the click of a mouse. The outstanding question around hyperlocal websites remains: is it enough for us to become involved in our communities? Please take a minute to address this question in the following  survey on hyperlocal websites and community involvement!