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<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
liberationtech-bounces@lists.stanford.edu
[mailto:liberationtech-bounces@lists.stanford.edu] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Rebecca
MacKinnon<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, December 13, 2010 2:20 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
liberationtech<BR><B>Subject:</B> [liberationtech] Dave Winer calls for a Web
Trust<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><A
href="http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html">http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html</A><BR>
<H1>A Web Trust to publish and store our creative work</H1>
<P class=storyByline>By Dave Winer on Monday, December 13, 2010 at 12:09 PM.</P>
<P class=storyPageText><A name=p3740></A>The discussion at this weekend's <A
href="http://personaldemocracy.com/pdfleaks">flash conf</A> in NYC on WikiLeaks
<A href="http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/11/moonMissions.html">raised</A>
the question of where we can store our web writing and photos so that they are
as safe as they possibly can be. Trusting corporations to manage this is
obviously not a good idea. If this was theoretical before, it's now pragmatic,
after Amazon cut off WikiLeaks. <A
href="http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p3740"><IMG
border=0 alt="Permanent link to this item in the archive."
src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" width=6
height=9 NOSEND="1"></A></P>
<P class=storyPageText><A name=p3741></A>That suggests that we need a new kind
of institution that is is part news organization, university, library and
foundation -- that acts as a guarantor of best-possible freedom from corporate
and government limitations. We already know some things about this organization,
I believe. <A
href="http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p3741"><IMG
border=0 alt="Permanent link to this item in the archive."
src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" width=6
height=9 NOSEND="1"></A></P>
<P class=storyPageText><A name=p3749></A>These are just back-of-the-envelope
scribbles. Consider this a discussion-starter for the next meetup. <A
href="http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p3749"><IMG
border=0 alt="Permanent link to this item in the archive."
src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" width=6
height=9 NOSEND="1"></A></P>
<P class=storyPageText><A name=p3742></A>1. It must be <B>long-lived</B>, like a
university -- probably with an endowment, and a board of trustees, and
operations limited to what's described below. It can't operate any other kind of
business. <A
href="http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p3742"><IMG
border=0 alt="Permanent link to this item in the archive."
src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" width=6
height=9 NOSEND="1"></A></P>
<P class=storyPageText><A name=p3743></A>2. It must create a
least-common-denominator storage system that is accessible through HTTP.
Everything must be done with <B>open formats</B> and protocols, meaning all
components of its system are replaceable. <A
href="http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p3743"><IMG
border=0 alt="Permanent link to this item in the archive."
src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" width=6
height=9 NOSEND="1"></A></P>
<P class=storyPageText><A name=p3744></A>3. It must cost money, so the <B>user
is a customer</B> and is treated as one. This also allows the vendor to assume
its own independence from the interests of the publisher who uses the system.
The same way the operator of a printing press was not responsible for the words
he or she printed on the paper. <A
href="http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p3744"><IMG
border=0 alt="Permanent link to this item in the archive."
src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" width=6
height=9 NOSEND="1"></A></P>
<P class=storyPageText><A name=p3746></A>4. <B>Simplicity</B> of the user
experience is primary so it can be accessible to as many as possible, and so
that technical people don't provide yet another filter for the free flow of
ideas. Factor and re-factor for simplicity. <A
href="http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p3746"><IMG
border=0 alt="Permanent link to this item in the archive."
src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" width=6
height=9 NOSEND="1"></A></P>
<P class=storyPageText><A name=p3750></A>5. The trust must serve the bits
exactly as they were published. <B>No advertising</B>. <A
href="http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p3750"><IMG
border=0 alt="Permanent link to this item in the archive."
src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" width=6
height=9 NOSEND="1"></A></P>
<P class=storyPageText><A name=p9></A>That's where I want to pick up the
discussion. <A
href="http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p9"><IMG
border=0 alt="Permanent link to this item in the archive."
src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" width=6
height=9 NOSEND="1"></A></P><BR clear=all><BR>-- <BR>Rebecca
MacKinnon<BR>Schwartz Senior Fellow, New America Foundation<BR>Co-founder,
GlobalVoicesOnline.org<BR>Cell: +1-617-939-3493<BR>E-mail: <A
href="mailto:rebecca.mackinnon@gmail.com"
target=_blank>rebecca.mackinnon@gmail.com</A><BR>Blog: <A
href="http://RConversation.blogs.com"
target=_blank>http://RConversation.blogs.com</A><BR>Twitter: <A
href="http://twitter.com/rmack"
target=_blank>http://twitter.com/rmack</A><BR><BR></BODY></HTML>