[berkman] Susan Crawford on One Web Day
“The popular myth is that the Internet was bult to withstand a nuclear attack, but it may not withstand the depredations of the telcos and cablecos.”
Her idea: A year from today, we have an Earth Day for the Internet. No particular political agenda. Big tent. “A first step towards recognizing the fragility of this resource.” She says, “The key pain humans feel is alienation.” She wants One Web Day to help counter this with connection.
Her mother said, “But on Earth Day, you can plant a tree!” So, what can we do on OWD? It has to be participatory. E.g., connecting villages. More hotspots. “One Day on the Web.”
David Isenberg suggests giving Netizens a few seconds each on a big screen in Times Square. Mary Rundle suggests MTV might be a good partner here.
Susan wants it to be sponsored by many private and public organizations. But how neutral is it going to be? The group discusses. Susan says that just as Earth Day expresses some concern about the Earth, OWD should express some concern about the Net. The positive about the Internet is its ability to connect people and give them voice. What threatens those values threatens the Internet. Should Verizon have pause before joining? Maybe, but they should jump on board if only for digital divide reasons. (“It’s tree planting,” says Erica George.)
Derek Bambauer comes up with the idea of using the Google globe — the one that shows much of the Earth lit up with connectivity [Ack! I can’t find it.] — as a logo. [I like this idea a lot, in part because there’s an implicit message in the fact that so much more of the north is connected: Light up the world.]
We discuss many other ideas. Susan says someone had the idea of state paintings: Everyone in a state gets to add a few pixels to a painting. [Emergent painting!]. Erica suggests an oral history project. Any page that wants to support OWD can put up the logo and link it to some contribution to make the Net better. Derek suggests that OWD also remind people of the repression occurring. He mentions having an “adopt a blogger” program for bloggers in rights-challenged countries.
The first One Web Day is scheduled for September 22. [Tags: OneWorldDay SusanCrawford]
Categories: Uncategorized dw
Global Voices blog would be an obvious partner.
Susan says someone had the idea of state paintings: Everyone in a state gets to add a few pixels to a painting.
I know not these ‘states’ of which you speak. (Unless you’re thinking of emotional states, in which case colour me favourable with curmudgeonly patches…)
James, Rebecca MacKinnon was there. You’re right: GV would be a great partner.
Phil, I think the idea was states as in New Jersey and Idaho. Susan is looking for ways to tie OWD to offline activities and to geographic communities, although the painting idea certainly could be untied from location. I particularly like the painting idea, although I think I heard it a bit different than Susan said it, because I think people would go to it, see the existing pixels, think “That looks like an eye to me,” and fill in a few more pixels nudging in that direction.
Um… yes. I was trying to highlight the contrast between the fundamentally global aspirations of OWD and the reversion to a US frame of reference. (But to do so in a way that wasn’t too snarky and didn’t actually attack the idea of OWD, which sounds like a Good Thing.)
Phil, got it. Sorry. My humor gland is still standing on line at the airport.
OWD is fully intended to be global in every sense. The first year participation may be higher in the US just because that’s where the organizer lives. But Susan is looking for help and connections internationally. Totally.
Keep in mind that thinking this thing can be gotten off the ground in just one year is incredibly ambitious…for which we love Susan all the more.
“Erica suggests an oral history project. Any page that wants to support OWD can put up the logo and link it to some contribution to make the Net better.”
That’s a great idea, which gives every company or individual an opportunity to contribute to the Net and get noticed as well.