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Berkman Buzz, week of December 8

A look at the past week's online Berkman conversations.  If you'd like to receive this by email, just sign up here.

What's going on... take your pick or browse below.

*Rebecca MacKinnon addresses apathy in the face of Internet censorship.
*Urs Gasser recommends best practices for EUCD implementation.
*Creative Commons introduces three key innovations through CC Labs.
*Dan Gillmor contemplates end of photojournalism as a profession.
*Gene Koo assesses educational value of computer simulations.
*David Weinberger captures fervor over ‘folksonomies’.
*Derek Bambauer claims we harbor a secret love of spam.
*MediaBerkman Video: Fred Turner discusses rise of digital Utopianism.

The Full Buzz


“It's true that China's Internet censorship is a 'failure' in the sense that there is always some technical way around it if you try. However, most people don't try. They aren't interested in trying, or don't realize the extent to which their information environment has been warped in the first place, and thus have no idea what they're missing by not trying, or they're not interested in being made uncomfortable by certain kinds of information. Thus you could make the case that censorship when combined with apathy, nationalism, and a bit of fear here and there, is actually very successful…”
Rebecca MacKinnon, “Censorship, Apathy and Free Thinking or lack thereof"

"The best practice guide takes a closer look at four clusters of legal issues typically associated with EUCD-implementation. First, in a cross-sectional manner, it provides recommendations regarding the implementation of the EUCD’s anti-circumvention provisions (i.e., legal protection of technological protection measures). Second, it suggests a series of principles in areas of copyright law that shape the ways in which we – as peers – can produce and distribute information. The third section deals with universal access issues, including teaching and research exceptions, exceptions for libraries, archives, and the like, and copyright exceptions for disabled people. Third, the document provides recommendations with regard to selected copyright provisions that have an impact on political and cultural participation..."
Urs Gasser, "EUCD Best Practice Guide Released"


“The last innovation on CC Labs, however, will radically change the scope and reach of CC licenses. You might not think so given the title of this innovation — “Metadata Lab.” It’s the nature of tech-types to be understated. But I don’t think we could overstate the importance of this new innovation. And in the few words left in this letter, I want to introduce you to this potential...”
Creative Commons, “CC Labs”

“The pros who deal in breaking news have a problem. They can’t possibly compete in the media-sphere of the future. We’re entering a world of ubiquitous media creation and access. When the tools of creation and access are so profoundly democratized, and when updated business models connect the best creators with potential customers, many if not most of the pros will fight a losing battle to save their careers. Let’s do a little time travel…”
Dan Gillmor, “The Demise of the Professional Photojournalist”

“An online simulation, especially in a virtual world, almost automatically puts the participant in role. Without leveraging that possibility, the simulation becomes a “spreadsheet game” (see next point). I may be defining “role-playing” somewhat loosely here; for example, the classic prisoner’s dilemma game, which would benefit wonderfully from being online, is very marginally a ‘roleplay.’…”
Gene Koo, “When do online/computer simulations add the most value?”

“...Folksonomies are proof of the power of emergence. Emergence is a fascinating phenomenon because it explains complexity through intrinsic simplicity. E.g., termites build complex towers by following rules so simple that they fit in a termite's brain. But there is also a political side to our interest in emergence, beyond its explanatory power. Emergence is hope. It says (or we take it as saying) that left to ourselves, without extrinsic structuring or regulation or governance, we will be magnificent…”
David Weinberger, “Folksonomy as symbol”

"[W]e all whine about it, but spam isn't the catastrophe that technical experts (and me) thought it would be. For most users, it's a manageable irritant. My take on this remains the same: spam persists because it's a guilty pleasure..."
Derek Bambauer, "Spam Continues to Increase; Absolutely No One Shocked"

"Fred Turner joined us for a lunch at Berkman to explore the computer's extraordinary and ironic transformation from rigid to collaborative.  He shared the previously untold story of a highly influential group of San Francisco Bay–area entrepreneurs who made the connections between San Francisco 'flower power' and the emerging technological hub of Silicon Valley..."
MediaBerkman, "From Counterculture to Cyberculture: The Rise of Digital Utopianism"


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