Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 07:43:54 -0700 (PDT) From: Phil Agre To: rre@weber.ucsd.edu Subject: political activity on the Internet Some thoughts about political activity on the Internet Phil Agre August 1996 Much has been learned already. Several organizations have done amazing things with the net. The Internet is at least a dozen different technologies, which might be used in different ways. Technical professionals with political interests and political professionals with technical interests need a forum within which to exchange knowledge and visions on a basis of equality. Many constituencies, such as teachers and librarians, have a strong interest in shaping future directions of the technology. The basic effect of the Internet is to strengthen institutions, formal and informal, based on common experience and interests, regardless of geography. The Internet does not eliminate the need for political professionals -- legislative analysts, field organizers, organization builders, and so on. But it does change their job. The Internet is not a separate "cyberspace" reality. It is a new nervous system for the physical world. Online political action alerts give everyone an easy way to take their first step into political activism. The Internet can probably help them take that second step, but nobody knows how. Technology requires training. Technical training can be empowering or disempowering. And it's not just technical training, but training in using the technology in a strategic way. Foundations need help in learning how to evaluate political projects that include the Internet. One way to rethink political work for the new technological environment is to enumerate genres of online materials (e.g., action alerts, other side's arguments and common sense replies, facts that support positions, etc), with a clear understanding of who their audience is, what media work best for distributing them, what some good and bad exemplars are and why, what makes them useful, how they can backfire, etc. The Internet can mediate lateral connections among grassroots activists in distant locations. The vocabulary and methods of technical work should reflect the diversity and democratic values of our society. The Internet is part of a bigger picture. It is one more medium among many, and it specific role should be understood in relation to those other media. Face-to-face meetings will always be indispensable for cementing relationships and sharing worldviews, but the Internet is valuable before and after those meetings. Technical people need a way to get involved in a social movement, even if they just want to do technical stuff. Computer enthusiasts and computer user groups are an untapped resource. The Internet can help build bridges between the Washington professionals and the grassroots and organization chapters. The Internet can also help in building bridges between intellectuals and activists, but this still takes effort from both sides. We are building the infrastructure for a revival of democratic values.