Dan Gillmor presents a wish-list of programmes that he'd like to see foundations funding to promote the open, independent Web. As he points out, the Internet is almost entirely without a "common" space that is neither controlled by governments, nor by corporations. These kinds of institutions seek to centralise power and control, while a decentralisation was what made the Internet so disruptive, exciting, and positive.
An education campaign would work to persuade traditional media, or at least buy some advertising, but that's only a start. It would also use newer forms of media, including social media. It would work with parents and educators, to help children learn how to be critical thinkers and trust liberty over control.
My second wish for the philanthropic folks: Please fund a bunch of research and development of open technologies and services. In other words, help re-create an infrastructure for tech liberty. Don't pick winners. Pick possibilities and help as many as possible, building on current experiments and projects and finding new ones that sound promising. Understand that most will fail, and be fine with that.
Once we see what is likely to work, funders could then reinvest to help make those technologies and services sustainable – in large part by encouraging the public to use them. One thing we've seen in the tech and communications world is how self-reinforcing it can be. The only non-negotiable requirements for this R&D should be that projects are a) decentralized in nature, b) designed to increase users' control and personal security, and c) open-source so that others can build on them. The last thing we need to assist is another Facebook or Comcast.
Will non-profit foundations step up to save the internet? [Dan Gillmor/The Guardian]
