DRAFT Charter for Netizens Association List
Michael Hauben
Draft for Comment
The global computer communications network now stretches around the
world. However, there are many places within reach of the Net which
are currently not connected, either because of lack of money, of
knowledge, or of other factors impeding online access. There are many
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and online services spreading, but
these commercial entities do not guarantee that everyone who would be
interested in connecting with the on-line world will have the ability
to do so. Also, the personal computer is not affordable to a great
number of people around the world. Just as it is important to the
American society as a whole to connect our nation together on-line, so
there is a similar need in other countries and a need to form a truly
global and universal computer communications network. This is a
difficult undertaking but one currently more in reach than ever
before.
There is a growing body of people who identify as members of a global
community which communicates electronically over the world-wide
computer communications network. These people have come to understand
the value of the communication ability facilitated by the Internet and
identify as citizens of the Net, or as Netizens. Netizens are people
who work to contribute to the growth and collaborative community of
the Net. The word describes those who help newcomers on the Net to
understand the value of the Net by teaching how to utilize it and
contribute back to it. The idea of Netizen has now spread around the
world and is used in a variety of ways. The idea represents a helpful
way to portray the principles and the vision of the social advancement
that the global connection of netizens networking worldwide can make
possible. It is important to support this vision and these principles.
There is a need, to act towards making the on-line community available
to all. Infrastructure needs to be established which would allow broad
access and the chance to teach the new literacy of both computer and
other on-line skills. The Internet is currently under pressure from
business and governments around the world to go in a direction that
strays from the guiding vision of the original ARPANET pioneers who
saw an intergalactic network that would be a public intellectual
utility. Usenet pioneers envisioned discussion groups being made
available around the world and at low cost as part of an emerging
emerging Worldnet which would be world wide and multifaceted.
In response to a call for people interested in forming such an
association of netizens I received responses from about 40 different
people. The responses mainly came from North America, with a number
from Japan and Europe. The overwhelming sentiment however, where ever
the response came from, was "how can I help?" There was an urgency
present in the messages.
Concern existed with how to communicate successfully across cultures
and societal differences. "What needs to be accomplished?" was asked.
A desire was expressed to think globally enough to make such an
organization international in scope. So while benefits were seen in
off-line organizing, it was important to tie these efforts together in
a way which contributed to a new global cooperative community. The
grassroots development was highlighted as a difference between this
possible association and current societies focusing on technology and
the Internet.
It is important to bridge the gap between the on-line discussion about
access and availablity with off-line grass-roots action and
development. The on-line component will guide the physical world
development and feedback from that experience will inform the
discussions. Individuals in localities concerned with the further
development, expansion and accessibility of the Net help the
technology by spreading literacy and understanding about the new
global community breaking previous social and geographic boundaries.
Given the vision of a future networked world and the tenuousness of
the current time in realizing this vision, it is important that
concerned individuals come together to discuss how to protect and
expand the online world, while working with others towards making the
networked future a reality.
During a recent trip to Japan, I met a number of networking
enthusiasts who were interested in spreading the Internet in Japan.
They found the Netizen concept to be helpful in their efforts. One
student who I met in Tokyo, Hiroyuki Takahashi, suggested that there
was a need to form a Netizens Association. This association could work
towards educating people and helping them to gain literacy in both the
technical and social aspects of working, living and playing on the
Net. In addition, this Netizens Association would function as a forum
to bring people together to protect and advance the Net as a new
public commons and global community. I propose to work towards forming
a prototype for a local Netizens Association chapter. The success of a
few such chapters could lead to the spreading of chapters focused
around educational institutions or communities. This would be in
conjunction with efforts by people working for similar goals in other
countries across the globe like Japan, and Canada.
While I have global concerns and contacts, it is important to start
locally and concentrate on forming local associations that will help
those in particular areas learn about the value of networking and help
them to spread what they have learned to their schools and
communities.
I also see the need to have public access to Usenet and email
available via public terminals in schools, libraries, and other public
places. Part of the work of a local Netizens Association might be to
encourage government, school and library officials to make such access
available. Also, I am forming a mailing list for people to discuss the
principles behind a Netizens Association. In addition, this list will
be for communication about the formation of local chapters and the
discussion about how Netizens can support the Net and help work
against ignorant actions against the Net by individuals or groups.
This is an important time in the development of a new form of human
communication that the computer makes possible. The recent passage in
the USA of the Communications Act of 1996 will be setting up machinery
in the USA to determine whether on-line access will be available to
all or limited to the few. It is a struggle in all countries to make
access available to all who desire it. This is a call for people to
come together to discuss and work towards these goals.
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APPENDIX
Following is a summary of the concerns and thoughts expressed by those
who responded to my initial post about the need for a Netizens
Association:
How serious is this effort to create "chapters" of the Netizen's
Assoc.? ... I think I can help you in a small way and, if, after
reading my thoughts, you still think so, let me know.
I...educate people on a daily basis about the net. I have started a
popular Internet Interest Group in the store and loved doing it. One of the
ways I stay informed is subscribing to the Cyber-Rights mailing list,
amongst others
fascinating sub-study of the ability of the virtual
world Netizens to have an impact upon the physical world in which they
interact.
We are so engrossed with what the technology can do, we fail to log off in
time to stand up for the potential in the physical world. It is no wonder we
get things like the CDA, we are children with new toys trying to convince
professional adults we are serious.
I would like to believe that the manifesto of the DigitaLiberty
people, technology will save us, will eventually become true. Maybe it will
for my child's grandchildren. Today we need to act in the real world. How
would you feel about me putting together a Netizen chapter? I am moving to a
new city in a couple of weeks and the chance exists that I may not have to
work right away. In other words, time. The main purpose would be to educate
those offline or those online but [who are only] reading the ads.
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make me a netizen.
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Has much research been done on "individual base reasoning", I wonder?
When we think of membership to a race, country or region, we are faced
with a multitude of problems including overlapping, etc. But on an
individual basis, persons are members of their individual community
of one and also one of the 5.8 billion that make up our human population.
Of course, as a living being or glob of matter we are also members of
something bigger, but considering persons on an individual basis,
human level, as in a Netizen Association seems to be the natural flow
of things, and less problematic than race, nationality, etc.
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I suspect that you are receiving overwhelming support for a Netizens
Association.
May I suggest one point that should be included in the mission statement? -
To minimize the damage to the benefits of existing cultures, while
facilitating the benefits of change to those cultures.
If there is anything that I can do to assist you
please contact me.
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Was anything I could do to assist in such an effort. Do you plan on
forming a mailing list (or is there already one to which I can
subscribe)?
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Have you been working at all at home on this idea or is this an
international thing?
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I have all kinds of questions, reservations and concerns, but I shall
defer expressing them until I learn how the concept develops.
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"netizen" phenomenon is to look at it in terms of it being an incredibly
successful "meme".
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What needs to be accomplished?
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The degree of ignorance displayed by the "experts" giving
presentations on the topic was, in fact, shocking. It seems to me
very bad laws are made on the basis of ignorance this profound. What
do you suggest?
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I'd be interested in being on you mailing list, as long as you don't think
I'll get swamped.
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Id be very interested in joining if it doesnt cost a lot.
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* It seems now that a day doesn't pass without another attack from a
government on our ability to live freely on the Net:
- U.S. (encryption restrictions; CDA; state AG suits; ...)
- China (Internet packet filtering; ISP licenscing)
- Germany (newsgroup
- Singapore (Internet packet filtering; ISP licenscing)
* While you note a colleague said netizens "are especially not people
who come on-line for isolated gain or profit" I would hope that you
woudln't use this to screen people out. My work is my life and I
believe this is also the case for others in our company as well as
millions of other Netizens. Certain people or disciplines may not like
"profit," but, being intellectually honest, profit (what's left from
the harvest after costs) is what lets us eat.
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I believe that the WELL and the River are held back because they never
developed the grand scheme for a truly global community.
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I think it embodied very well a few aspects of the Internet, such as
fast global communication, and a sense of community.
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automatically assume that japan would have been up to date on this
latest technology
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I wanted to lend a hand. The Internet in western Japan has really
taken hold in the last six months, and I'm trying to promote its use
esp. among students and ESL/EFL learners.
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Global Netizen Organization. . . .
I certainly belive the spirit of the NET, or ordinary people
having an unfettered voice and being able to talk with others all over the
world will bring world peace and respect for all cultures.
Also, tell me what would be involved in my being the "Canadian" connection
for the Netizen Organization?
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I think one needs a sharp aim if such an association will have any chance of
being more than a flea.
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How about an adopt an "off-liner" program? Grt them up and running &
educate them on the importance of what they are using?
If you do get a mailing list going please subscribe me. I feel I
must warn you that I believe these can get in the way of real action.
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I am used to groups such as the
"Association for Computing Machinery", the Internet Society
(a society promotes the Internet), and so on.
That is completely backwards from what the Netizens Association would be,
I would think.
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I am working in the conventional communication fields and I feel that our
old society will be getting attacked and blamed by the netizens.
There will be some frictions between both societies, but I do not worry
about them. As people who are engaging in the communication fields know the
essence or the purpose of communication. They enjoy first to make the pass
road between unknown worlds, then to have a contact with unknown people and
finally to become close friends.
I feel the netizen idea is very similar to that of
amateur ham radio. Reminding the idea of young age, I would like to
cooperate with netizens to make the peaceful netizen world. Thank you for
your message.
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One of the problems which I think its problem is, growing Internet in Japan
seems forming "Japanese cyber space". I know that there's no phisical
barriers in cyber space, but language barriers are hard to cross for many
Japanese. Many young people are excited by web, and start to surf and
making thier web pages. But most of their web pages are made for Japanese
and they only surf for Japanese pages.
I am afraid that Japan is tend to be isolated and too nationalistic. If
they meet serious argument, they tend to misunderstand to be threatened. So
I think individual Japanese should comunicate with individual people
outside Japan. And I strongly think THE NET is the only chance to do it.
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those deeply involved become elitest and not only don't wish to
help others become involved, but often want to discourage people from
becoming involved. In the case of the internet this should go the
opposite way,
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Have Netizen organizations been formed or will they be? And what would
their duties be exactly?
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Well, I think of anything you succeeded in demonstrating how the net
can transcend such traditional boundaries and how such a perceived
different group of people can share such universal goals.
What I am left confused with is the persuasive side of the e-mail
message. So if there's any call to action message - specifically -
embeded, then I didn't catch it. But again, I doubt that would be the
main thrust of what you wrote.
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Don't get me wrong, Michael, i'm not trying to discredit what
you are saying. I love the hope and excitment you exhibit talking about
his. But you need to examine more closely how cultures work, imho, to
further yr argument. Again, my opinions.
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However, I'm curious and a bit confused about your idea of a Netizen's
Association. Are you proposing a global group of Netizens that can act as
a political lobby for net rights/consciousness in individual countries?
Sort of like a Green Party comprised of Net regulars who wish to move
towards a global consciousness facilitated by the Net?
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Is there someway to have a presence on Usenet as well as setting
up a mailing list to work towards a Netizens Association?
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Michael Hauben Teachers College Dept. of Communication
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