Grassroots activism has undergone significant ups and downs over the past four decades, particularly within digital communication and organizing. This post seeks to provide an overview of the challenges and successes experienced by grassroots activists during this time period, focusing on the evolution of the #openweb and its eventual decline. It explores the ideological underpinnings…
Women & Online Television in Senegal – Screening of Mistress of a Married Man + Q&A with director Kalista Sy
St John’s Cinema Club and the TORCH African Languages, Literatures and Cultures Network are excited to welcome Senegalese online television series screenwriter, director and producer Kalista Sy. The event will start with a brief introduction by Dr Estrella Sendra (Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries at King’s College London), followed by the screening of…
The development of ActivityPub was a collaborative effort
The history of #ActivityPub and the #fediverse is a journey marked by innovation, collaboration, and the ever-present struggle between open and closed systems. To understand this history, lets delve into the origins of ActivityPub and its evolution within the context of the broader #openweb movement. ActivityPub emerged as a response to the limitations of existing…
Nurturing the Potential of the Fediverse: A Socio-Political Roadmap
The #fediverse, promises decentralized social networking and democratic governance, stands as a light of hope for a native #openweb. However, as it navigates the terrain of politics, technology, and human behaviour, it faces challenges that threaten to undermine its #4opens civic potential. In this post, we delve into these challenges and explore potential pathways to…
Building Trust in the Openweb and the Fediverse
In the landscape of the #openweb and the emerging #Fediverse, trust is the currency that binds meaningful interactions and collaborations. Yet, amidst the cacophony of voices and divergent perspectives, building trust can feel like navigating a minefield. In this post, we’ll explore the importance of trust in the #openweb and the Fediverse, examine the challenges…
Branding, addressing this issue
The issue of branding in the #openweb and #fediverse is currently a mess that touches on both technical and social thinking. We need to address this: To address these challenges, it’s important to shift the focus from strong project branding to instance branding to empower communities to make their own #openweb spaces for collaboration and…
A pragmatic approach to #openweb security
Challenging the Universal Mandate of SSL: A Critique from the #openweb path. In the digital landscape, the ubiquitous presence of #SSL encryption, while undoubtedly enhancing security, raises questions about its compatibility with the ethos of the open web. The prevailing narrative around SSL overlooks its ideological underpinnings and the broader implications of its universal adoption.…
Composting the mess with the #OMN
The growth of technology has revolutionized the way we live, work, and communicate. However, as we dive deeper into the digital age, we are confronted with the alarming consequences of our reliance on these technologies. The links shed light on the issue of “digital” waste and its detrimental impact on the environment. Gerry McGovern’s article…
The problem with #openweb funding and the tools people use
#NGO Internet funding organizations often use #closedweb tools despite their stated commitment to openness and the Digital Commons. Some of these reasons: * Familiarity and Convenience: Many funding organizations and their staff are accustomed to using closed tools due to their prevalence in the industry. This is a non “native” aproch * Security Concerns: Closed…
The problem of fashionistas in activism
#fashionistas” typically describes individuals or groups who adopt trends or ideologies in activism, for the sake of appearance or to align themselves with what is currently popular or socially acceptable. In the realm of activism, this phenomenon often manifests in the behaviour of NGOs and advocacy organizations who prioritize “chasing the buzzword” over meaningful action.…
User Story #makeinghistory
The “User Story #makeinghistory” outlines a process for digitizing the Campbell Family archive, which contains significant historical materials related to activism and political movements. Here’s a breakdown of the steps involved: Setting up the Application: The archive sets up a desktop computer or a hosted VPS instance to install the #DAT based p2p application for…
We need to get this 20-year-old project back online, please help
VisionOnTV is a historical and important activist video project, and supporting it through funding can have a impact on the activist community and the history and change challenge in broader society: Amplifying Marginalized Voices: VisionOnTV provides a platform for marginalized voices and grassroots activists to share their stories, perspectives, and struggles. By amplifying these voices,…