Hello Laura, Great to hear that the privacy and open data workshop was an inspiring one, and that an analysis of power was core to the discussions.
I think there is great potential in the development of a Manifesto as a project to explore the shared vision and diversity across the broad Open Knowledge Community. The important thing will not so much be the platform for drafting, as the process of building a manifesto: how it is made into an inclusive community process that could strengthen and rebuild community trust, deepening shared understanding of where there are common, complementary and divergent goals amongst us all. So - in response to the specific questions below: Do you want to have a manifesto? > I certainly think trying to develop a manifesto would be a valuable process. It would be interesting to consider whether this should be approached in the development as: - A manifesto for Open Knowledge (the core organisation) - A manifesto for Open Knowledge affiliated groups - A manifesto for a broader open knowledge movement, such that many different organisations could help create and subscribe to it I think the second two options are likely the stronger options. > What should it look like? > It should be broader than the Open Definition. The Open Definition already provides a core concept which groups can draw upon - but many of the issues of power, empowerment and social justice around openness rely on going beyond a formal definition, to argue for open processes and action to address inequalities outside the features of an item of content itself, in order to secure the kind of vision of a world where open empowers. It should also represent the breadth of fields in which open knowledge can be applied - from culture and hardware, to governance and development. One approach might be to invite different thematic groups to start with a process of developing their own manifestos combining: - A vision for openness in their respective fields - Specific things that need to change And then look at synthesising those into an overall (short, 2 page max) manifesto that represents the richness of open knowledge. > Which issues should it include? > Which issues should it not include? > Address in the above. > What's the best platform for collaborative drafting - an etherpad, a > google document, a github repository, something else? > As mentioned, I think process over platform is the best place to focus right now. Possible elements of a process might include: - Providing WGs, local groups and core OK projects with a template for putting together their own mini-manifestos and giving a 2 - 3 month window for drafting these; hosting a community call or two about the idea of the manifesto; - Encouraging people to independently blog about their vision for an Open Knowledge manifesto and to tag those posts so they can be aggregated together; - Tasking a small group to synthesise all these drafts into a first proposed text for an open knowledge manifesto (with that group working in the open through whatever tool best allows tracking of how the various inputs make it into the final text; and having a couple of public calls during their discussions) - Putting the draft out for comment through a tool like Digress.it (Wordpress plugin for line-by-line commenting) or using Annotator (so that we're keeping with open tools, as tools like Google Docs are clearly excluding some members of the community who hold strong views on use of proprietary platforms). - Redrafting the final text based on comments - and sending it out for validation by working groups / community members / etc. and perhaps even setting a threshold such that it can only be adopted as a core OK manifesto if 75% of OK affiliated groups endorse it. I know this isn't a quick-and-easy process (probably needs c. 6 months start to finish at absolute minimum), and I'm mainly putting it forward as a straw man proposal for discussion, but it does provide the opportunity for community engagement that was missed in the rebrand, and for thinking about how on substantive issues like identity and vision OK can really empower the community in shaping the vision. I've set up an etherpad to gather ideas on these questions: > http://pad.okfn.org/p/manifesto_ideas > Replying whilst offline - so sorry for not dropping this direct into the Etherpad. Feel free to copy there if useful. Tim > > Look forward to hearing from you! > > Laura > > > PS - I was so inspired by the workshop. Sometimes it can seem like the > privacy folks and open data folks have different views, but we ended up > concluding many of us in both areas are driven by the same motivation - to > use information power in the cause of human rights. On the train home, I > was feeling super excited about this, so I quickly wrote up what was in my > mind after the workshop here > <https://docs.google.com/a/okfn.org/document/d/1dxwEV3Qt9S3sbOP7XSnefZ6koOcN7Xj3LGfvpkTuWlQ/edit>. > If you were at the workshop, thanks for all your contributions - it was a > great two days! Especial thanks to Mark Lizar and others in the 'power' > session before lunch yesterday for inspiration and fervour :) > > -- w: http://www.timdavies.org.uk | m: 07834 856 303 | twitter: timdavies Co-director of Practical Participation: http://www.practicalparticipation.co.uk -------------------------- Practical Participation Ltd is a registered company in England and Wales - #5381958.
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