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Introducing Free Mobile Petitioning With Crowdring
What if people around the world could sign a petition for free using just a regular mobile? This is the simple question that sparked the creation of Crowdring: a tech tool that links petitions to a dedicated local phone number, allowing people to demonstrate their political support by placing missed calls. Traveling around the world, … Continue reading
Innovation Versus Security In Kenya
Kenya is an exciting innovation hub spurring creative projects and pursuing steady progress. How long can this sustain and how will the upcoming elections fare, given the violence of the not-so-distant past? I recently returned from a wonderful trip to Kenya. Aside from seeing old friends, I had the pleasure of meeting with key members … Continue reading
Bin Laden’s Invisible Children
Narrative is a crucial element for any war, whether on Bin Laden in Afghanistan or on Joseph Kony in Uganda. Generally this narrative, to settle public debate and drive broad sentiment towards a single goal, is one-sided and oversimplified. An opposing narrative is difficult to craft because it must either be complex, therefore hard to … Continue reading
Back from Bike Hispaniola
I just returned from biking across the Dominican Republic and Haiti. An epic experience through these beautiful countries. You can check out some of the pics and stories on the blog we kept throughout the journey at bikehispaniola.tumblr.com and find out why I decided to make the trip through my blog post at Digital Democracy. … Continue reading
Going To Bike Hispaniola
Over the new year, I’ll be riding a bicycle from the Dominican Republic to Haiti. Follow the trip on our blog at bikehispaniola.tumblr.com At crossroads in my life, I bike across countries. Nine years ago, I biked across the United States. Today, I find myself at another transition: I am moving on from my role … Continue reading
Senator Gillibrand is a Dangerous Pirate
Stifling the economy, trampling private property and straight thievery are the Senator’s current activities, at least according to the legislation she’s trying to pass. The PROTECT IP legislation being discussed in the Senate that she’s a co-sponsor of in theory seeks to prevent online piracy, but does little to stop intellectual property theft and in … Continue reading
Reform & Revolution
I arrived to the country of Georgia on an unusual night of riot police and torrential rains. My handler advised me that it was too dangerous to leave the hotel. I had not heard this from anyone since my time in Iraq. I immediately dropped my bags and left for the protest areas. The demonstrators … Continue reading
Risk To Transmit
In this podcast, digital advocate Mark Belinsky talks with Fortnight Editor Samantha Hinds about training young people to safely organize political action online. Mark describes the advent of online innovations in democratic organizing, but he also warns of a risky new complacency. Mark trains marginalized communities to understand porous security settings on platforms such as … Continue reading
When Crowdsourcing is Not Democracy
A response to “Democratizing ICT4D with DIY Innovation and Open Data” In the digital era, it’s easier to conflate participation with democracy. This is a dangerous and unfortunate trend as it degrades the very concept of what a democracy can and should be: a transparent, participatory, and accountable means of representative governance. Voting itself doesn’t … Continue reading
This Can Get Mark Zuckerberg Arrested
Mark Zuckerberg faces 15 brutal years in a Thai prison. According to the Computer Crimes Act of Thailand, a website owner is responsible for anything written on their site, not just the actual author of the content. So if anyone posts anything on Facebook that is considered illegal in Thailand, Zuckerberg could be held responsible. … Continue reading
Grinder
6 to cut, 4 to sharpen 