Home Fork the Internet at Contact Summit

Fork the Internet at Contact Summit

Program or Be Programmed author Douglas Rushkoff proposes that we fork the Internet, and he’s convening a summit on the subject. Contact will be held October 20, 2011 at the Angel Orensanz Center in New York City. From Rushkoff’s description, it sounds like it will be conference/unconference hybrid: there will be scheduled speakers, but attendees will also be able to convene meetings at the event.

We’ve highlighted a few projects that aim to create a create government-less Internet before. This isn’t a new idea for Rushkoff either. In this CNN piece he suggested the creation of a new Internet that would work a bit more like FidoNet.

Here’s Rushkoff’s proposed list of subjects:

TECHNOLOGY

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

CULTURE

GOVERNMENT

MEANING

  • Can we build an alternative Internet that can’t be turned off?
  • Alternatives to top-down registries and corporate-controlled access
  • New net-based currencies and transaction networks
  • Net-enabled Local Activism and Job Creation
  • Arts networking initiatives
  • Decentralized social networking platforms
  • Proxy voting to expert friends
  • open source democracy
  • “Filter Bubbles” and how to prevent them
  • What Factors Facilitate Collective Intelligence?
  • The Reclamation of Public Space

“Contact will hope to revive the spirit of optimism and infinite possibility of the early cyber-era, folding the edges of this culture back to the middle,” Rushkoff writes. That sounds a little too utopian and nostalgic, but this is an important event. I also like the slogan: “Content was never king. Contact is.”

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.