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I’m mad as hell. Are WE going to take it?

Tom Johnson

Institute for Analytic Journalism

t o m @ j t j o h n s o n . c o m

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Basics for blogs and blogger

• Digital hardware, software, I-net connection

• Blogger needs some skills with on-line apps.

• Most of all, blogger needs readers

• Readers need hardware, software, skills, ACCESS to the Internet, as do ALL Internet users

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Wrong end of the telescope• People in positions of power always

operate from a philosophy of insecurity and fear.

• Especially fearful of what they don’t know or understand. (Not just George Bush)

• Their first instinct is to control by exclusion

• Internet and cyberspace only work if there’s inclusion. (1 node = 0)

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Perverted perspectives• Paranoid, non-technical administrators directing

ICT policies; Higher the administrative level = paranoia

• Computer Science: Training network administrators who focus on how to protect applications and data by keeping users out?

• The default result – in ALL regions, nations, organizations, systems – is to restrict access to users at any and all levels. When in doubt, lock’em out.

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Positive perspective

Instead, system administrators should…

• Focus on bringing in all users and

• Protect only the data deemed most private, crucial or sensitive.

• Presumption should be: Access to all data except when it can be shown and agreed that access would be detrimental.

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Manifesto for Blog community?

Constantly push for “The Three 100s”

1) 100 percent of all people (in any system) have access to…

2) 100 percent of the data and communication and analytic tools they need…

3) 100 percent of the time.

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Why we need The Three 100s

• Counter-productive to do otherwise

• Inefficient to do otherwise• Loss of potential revenue,

services, resources, ideas• Shame and Ridicule (for officials)

to do otherwise

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A BASIC human right…

• In today’s communications environment, basic human rights must include – along with security, shelter, clean water, health care, access to education – the…

• Individual’s right to access digital communications with connectivity to the global information infrastructure (Today, the Internet, tomorrow???)

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Demand It!

The Three 100s

Demand It!