What do you get when you bring together some of the leading thinkers, activists, scholars, hackers, writers, and designers in the fields of social media, open-source and digital technology? You get the 2011 Personal Democracy Forum. Luckily, this year I was one of 1,000 attendees to participate in this yearly gathering to learn from and network with these brilliant minds and innovative creators. I also had the pleasure of enjoying this conference with two of my ICNC colleagues, Nicola Barrach and Althea Middleton-Detzner. While we were there we also got to meet up and hang out with our friends Eric Stoner, Bryan Farrell and Nathan Schneider from Waging Nonviolence, Katie Halper from Living Liberally, Matthew Slutsky from Change.org, and our friends Emily Jacobi, Mark Belinsky, and Biz Ghormley from Digital Democracy. In addition to getting see our friends, we also saw some great presentations. Click through to learn and see more about some of my favorite presentation from the conference.
Networked Privacy
Danah Boyd
Key tweets:
@svenburg networked world = networked privacy @zephoria #pdf11
@nekaro “When we take away kids agency & tell them the only form of control they have is technology, they can’t achieve privacy.” – @zephoria #pdf11
@FelipeEstefan Agency is the ability of people to make their own choices despite structural constraints- danah boyd (@Zephoria) #PDF11
@gregoryfoster Erving Goffman, re: “civil inattention” via @zephoria: http://j.mp/io6a1D #PDF11
@hendrikbos RT @noyesjesse: In-person interaction: private by default. Online interaction: public by default. @zephoria #PdF11
@silbatron #pdf11 @zephoria on privacy: real world dialogue is private by default, public by effort. Online is public by default, private by effort.
@emjacobi Problem: Our current model of privacy is individual-centric, rather than collective. – @Zephoria #PDF11
@samjwong Excellent blog and paper from @zephoria (danah boyd) on teens and privacy (followup to #pdf11 presentation) http://bit.ly/kVS06s
@inthekisser RT @eloqua: We are too concerned with how we collect data rather than how we’re using it. @zephoria #PdF11
Transparency Starts at Home
Senator Kristen Gillibrand
Key tweets:
@daryncambridge RT @mpalevsky: Sen. Gillibrand at #pdf11 rightly points to the end of anonymous holds of legislation as a CRUCIAL next step to transparency.
@daryncambridge .@SenGillibrand: All families all across America should have a right to access internet. #pdf11
@FelipeEstefan We have to create a more accountable government, to make sure that everyday people can have voice and be heard – @sengillibrand #pdf11
@Singhjc @SenGillibrand, Totally agree. By shedding light and making the gov more transparent, we disinfect corruption and rebuild trust. #pdf11
@daryncambridge .@SenGillibrand: No excuse for our government to remain in the last century. #pdf11
@daryncambridge Photo: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand @SenGillibrand speaking at #pdf11 – Transparency Starts at Home – http://ow.ly/i/cztW
@FelipeEstefan We shop online, we pay our bills online, we book our courses online. There’s no reason for government to stay behind – @sengillibrand #pdf11
@Eloqua I think every American should be able to access all public documents on their computers or smart phones, says @sengillibrand. #PdF11
@OpenCongress Public Online Information Act mentioned by @SenGillibrand at #pdf11: http://bit.ly/jcFxED
@daryncambridge .@SenGillibrand: All families all across America should have a right to access internet. #pdf11
Weaving a Network for Change: Egypt
Alaa Abd Al Fattah (@alaa)
Key tweets:
@daryncambridge RT @edbice: .@alaa- factories and universities are the most important networks in egypt #pdf11
@daryncambridge .@alaa: Internet allowed groups to form and make noise louder than the group itself #pdf11
@daryncambridge RT @szvila: RT @sauravj: “Technology built a medium to build a single narrative” says @alaa #arabspring #PdF11
@daryncambridge .@alaa: We slowly built movements on the ground and connected them online. #pdf11
@daryncambridge .@alaa: The Internet normalized the idea of politics in #Egypt #pdf11
@daryncambridge .@alaa: Humor was a way to bring people in and participate in the movement. It also removed veneer of government power. #pdf11
@daryncambridge RT @charlottaasell: #pdf11 slacktivism normalized politics in Egypt @alaa
@daryncambridge RT @alaa: Here is an english article on Egypt’s ultras and the #Jan25 revolution (via @ASAbdallah) http://bit.ly/juGyXK #PDF11
@daryncambridge RT @acarvin: .@alaa recommends people read globalvoices.org and arabist.net regularly. So do I. #pdf11
Weaving a Network for Change: Nigeria
Omoyele Sowore
Key tweets:
@daryncambridge Omoyele Sowore: Check out his work and website, Sahara Reporters – http://www.saharareporters.com/ #pdf11
@daryncambridge RT @szvila Omoyele Soware, of @Saharareporters sez ‘real criminals in #Nigeria are in the gov,” wants to help citizens 2 fight back #pdf11
@nvconflict RT @daryncambridge: Photo: Omoyele Sowore speaking at #pdf11 – Weaving a Network of Change: Nigeria – http://ow.ly/i/czwz
@mob_org RT @Ayofemi: Now I can fight on the streets of Nigeria w/o leaving my basement. – Omoyele Sowore #pdf11
@jilliancyork “Internet is not revolution; there’s nowhere Internet can replace feet on the ground” says Omoyele Sowore #PdF11
@LGEOResearch “Maybe you are overdue for a revolution too!” – Omoyele – Love this!!! #pdf11
@daryncambridge Omoyele Sowere: Its not about slogans, its about determination. #pdf11
Connection Technologies: How Much Is Enough?
Jillian C. York
Key tweets coming soon…
Generation Mubarak and the Power of “I”
Mona Eltahawy
Video and key tweets coming soon…
Curating Revolution(s)
Andy Carvin (@acarvin)
Key tweets:
@daryncambridge @acarvin: People with no media training whatsoever can become the voice of their country. #pdf11 Well said!
The Power of Strong Ties, the Power of Weak Ties
Zeynup Tufecki (@techsoc)
Key tweets:
@daryncambridge RT @cmdln: “Tools matter, but they do not create the courage & dignity we are witnessing.” @techsoc #pdf11
@daryncambridge .@techsoc: a narrative will emerge and then everyone begins repeating that narrative. #pdf11
@daryncambridge George Orwell’s “Reflections on Gandhi” (1949) mentioned by @techsoc: http://j.mp/jh5vNH #PDF11
@FelipeEstefan Social media alters the ability to connect, the shape of the network and the speed of information diffussion – @techsoc #pdf11
@noyesjesse The key to successful nonviolent action is you have to be seen. @techsoc #PdF11
@jilliancyork “There’s a protest in Egypt and they’re livebroadcasting it. This is a different world” says @techsoc #PdF11
@techpresident “A regime looks at a protest like an [outbreak] to be quarantined.” – @techsoc #pdf11
@Eloqua Traditional communications networks tend to clump. Social media spreads, making it difficult to cut off the conversation. @techsoc #PdF11
@nclarkjudd Burn! “I was going to recommend Google Scholar to Malcolm Gladwell,” says @techsoc, “but I don’t have his fax number.” #pdf11
@jilliancyork “Tools do matter because they alter the network, the possibilities, and create counter-publics.” -@techsoc #PdF11
@donaldhughes “…tools do not create the courage and dignity we are witnessing.” @techsoc #pdf11
@emjacobi RT @techsoc: Slides for my talk at #PdF11 http://bit.ly/mO8cSX — completely humbled by the amazing line up before my talk.
Breakout Session: Deep Dive with Michael Wesch and Danah Boyd
Key tweets:
@daryncambridge .@zephoria: education is supposed to be liberating, but schooling is oftentimes treated like a jail. #pdf11
@daryncambridge .@zephoria: US higher ed does good job of ripping young people from their home base and putting in situation 2 create strong networks #pdf11
@daryncambridge Photo: conversation with @zephoria and Michael Wesch on youth and digital culture http://ow.ly/i/czUK #pdf11
@daryncambridge .@zephoria: important to measure education not on individual success but networked success. #pdf11
@daryncambridge RT @joannedegroot: “@zephoria: A rough crib of my #PDF11 talk on “Networked Privacy” – http://t.co/nBtMb18 (Based on http://t.co/ePmfCWy)
Breakout Session: Global Digital Activism
Key tweets coming soon…
The Internet Is My Religion
Jim Gilliam (@jgilliam)
Key tweets coming soon…
The Ultimate Twitter Quest
Dan Sinker (@danskiner)
Key tweets coming soon…
Citizens
Lawrence Lessig
Key tweets coming soon…
Notes on Whatever: How the Most Remarkable Knowledge-Collaboration-Distraction Machine on the Planet Is Changing the Way Humans Get Along…or Not
Michael Wesch
Key tweets coming soon…
The Alternate Net We Need, and How We Build it Ourselves
Eben Moglen
Key tweets coming soon…
Daryn R. Cambridge 