In Dorothy Kidd's article "Indymedia.org: A New Communications Commons", Kidd discusses how the way media is distributed and read by the masses has changed. Indymedia.org is a network of 60 autonomously operated websites involving independent media producers. This new social movement brings together all kinds of different viewpoints to create a bigger picture. Acting as a watchdog for the mainstream media, Indymedia.org represents a new generation of social movements.
A social movement is comprised of local housing and media activists, journalists, and independent media producers. The public has been in a struggle to take back the media from private control. The new commons of media is an open system of and by the people, or as a closed system controlled by private owners.
The birth of the Internet has created a new commons. During the 1990's, many people demanded that information be free and that media should not be siphoned solely through mainstream media. Nowadays, wireless technologies such as laptops and phones have enabled citizens to connect to each other through networks, creating "smart mobs".
The Internet truly has become an active way of challenging the norms of media. Indymedia.org is just an example of a social media site that keeps an eye on mainstream news media. An alternative news media sites called Democracy Now! offers stories on global war and peace issues without the constraints of mainstream new media. Smart-mobs are now capable of challenging and changing social norms by providing bottom-up global surveillance of both the government and the mainstream news media.
Personally, I think that the new communication commons is a beautiful thing. I can now communicate with someone halfway around the world about issues that we both feel passionate about. We would also be able to discuss how we could go about solving these issues without actually meeting face-to-face. I'm positive that communications commons will continue to evolve and challenge social norms as we know them.
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