First POST: Monkeying
BY Micah L. Sifry | Thursday, January 22 2015
Net neutrality proponents call foul on the GOP's plans; StandUnited.com seeks to be the right's Change.org; tons of civic tech news from mySociety, Chicago and Civic Hall in NYC; and much, much more. Read More
First POST: Inners
BY Micah L. Sifry | Friday, January 16 2015
Dissident Saudi blogger Raif Badawi; the limits of social media-powered protest movements; why California is lagging in opening up government data; and much, much more. Read More
Why Facebook's 'Voter Megaphone' Is the Real Manipulation to Worry About
BY Micah L. Sifry | Thursday, July 3 2014
Two years ago, on the morning of the 2012 election in the United States, I got an email with an urgent subject line: "You should write the story of how Facebook blew an opportunity to turn out 300k voters." The sender, a veteran progressive online activist who would prefer to remain anonymous, was upset for good reason. The election was bound to be close, and as of 10am that morning he hadn't yet seen an "I'm Voting" button on his Facebook page, nor had another colleague of his. Nor was one on my own Facebook page. Given that when Facebook deployed a similar "I Voted" button in 2010, and added messages in users' News Feeds showing them the names and faces of friends who had said they voted, the cumulative effect boosted turnout then by at least 340,000 votes, these activists had good reason to be concerned. Facebook had announced that it was going to do the same thing in 2012, and this time around its American user base had grown enormously, from 61 million to more than 160 million. A social and visible nudge like an "I 'm Voting" button had the potential to measurably increase turnout, even more so as Facebook was including a useful tool to help people find their polling places. And yet on Election Day 2012 its deployment was far from universal. Facebook was conducting research on us. Read More
First POST: Collections
BY Micah L. Sifry | Monday, January 13 2014
The collection of phone meta-data would not have stopped any terrorist attacks since 9-11, says a New America Foundation study; Christie's aides are hardly the only political hacks using personal email to avoid public records laws; Matthew Burton explains how the CFPB's experience can help other govies make better web products; and much, much more. Read More
Open Science Breaks Down International Barriers for Researchers
BY Julia Wetherell | Monday, March 18 2013
The Research Data Alliance website (screengrab).
Two decades ago, scientists at CERN in Switzerland were among the earliest non-military users of the World Wide Web, posting the first photo to what had been a purely text-based medium, among other innovations. This week, an international group from the scientific community aims to set new precedents for the future of the Internet, with the launch of a major open data initiative for research and knowledge.
Read MoreIsrael Has Two Pirate Parties That Hate Each Other
BY Lisa Goldman | Wednesday, January 30 2013
In a 21st century digital echo of Monty Python's Life of Brian, Israel, a country of just over 7 million, has two Pirate Parties. One is called Pirate Party Israel and the other the Israel Pirate Party. Neither party recognizes the legitimacy of the other; nor do their founders have anything positive to say about one another. Read More
How the German Pirate Party's "Liquid Democracy" Works
BY David Meyer | Monday, May 7 2012
In the midst of the political upheaval affecting Europe, a relatively new movement is making stunning progress, particularly in Germany. On Sunday, the Pirate Party entered its third German state parliament in eight months, demonstrating momentum that surprises even its core members. The party is now on track to pick up a double-digit percentage of the vote in next year's federal elections. And it's dealing with this explosive growth through the medium it knows best: technology. Read More
The Europe Roundup: Is Downloading a Right or More of a Religion?
BY Antonella Napolitano | Friday, January 6 2012
Is downloading a right, or even more? In Switzerland a law allows it for personal use and a recent study concluded that downloaders use the money they save to buy more legitimate entertainment products But downloading might even become a religion. Or so it seems in Sweden, at least. Read More
The Europe Roundup: MPs Are Now Allowed To Tweet in Parliament
BY Antonella Napolitano | Wednesday, October 19 2011
UK | MPs Are Now Allowed To Tweet in Parliament With 203 votes in favour (and 63 against), British MPs are now officially allowed to tweet during their activities in the Chamber of Commons. The vote resolves ... Read More
Nordic Techpolitics - Oslo, September 2nd
BY Antonella Napolitano | Wednesday, August 31 2011
Here's a preview of Nordic Techpolitics, a conference that will focus on how technology is changing politics, government and societies in the Nordic countries. The conference will take place in Oslo, next September 2nd. ... Read More