[governance] FW: [liberationtech] Dave Winer calls for a Web Trust

[Michael Gurstein]

-----Original Message-----
From: liberationtech-bounces at lists.stanford.edu
[mailto:liberationtech-bounces at lists.stanford.edu] On Behalf Of Rebecca
MacKinnon
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 2:20 PM
To: liberationtech
Subject: [liberationtech] Dave Winer calls for a Web Trust


http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html


A Web Trust to publish and store our creative work


By Dave Winer on Monday, December 13, 2010 at 12:09 PM.

The discussion at this weekend's flash conf
<http://personaldemocracy.com/pdfleaks>  in NYC on WikiLeaks raised
<http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/11/moonMissions.html>  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.
<http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p37
40> Permanent link to this item in the archive.

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.
<http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p37
41> Permanent link to this item in the archive.

These are just back-of-the-envelope scribbles. Consider this a
discussion-starter for the next meetup.
<http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p37
49> Permanent link to this item in the archive.

1. It must be long-lived, 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.
<http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p37
42> Permanent link to this item in the archive.

2. It must create a least-common-denominator storage system that is
accessible through HTTP. Everything must be done with open formats and
protocols, meaning all components of its system are replaceable.
<http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p37
43> Permanent link to this item in the archive.

3. It must cost money, so the user is a customer 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.
<http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p37
44> Permanent link to this item in the archive.

4. Simplicity 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.
<http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p37
46> Permanent link to this item in the archive.

5. The trust must serve the bits exactly as they were published. No
advertising.
<http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p37
50> Permanent link to this item in the archive.

That's where I want to pick up the discussion.
<http://scripting.com/stories/2010/12/13/weNeedAWebTrustToPublishAn.html#p9>
Permanent link to this item in the archive.



-- 
Rebecca MacKinnon
Schwartz Senior Fellow, New America Foundation
Co-founder, GlobalVoicesOnline.org
Cell: +1-617-939-3493
E-mail: rebecca.mackinnon at gmail.com
Blog: http://RConversation.blogs.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rmack


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