by Doug Schuler
The term "Information Superhighway" and all the superficial cliches it has spawned - Information Supertollway, Road-Kills on the Information Superhighway, the Information Superhypeway, the InfoBahn, etc... - may well burn out the public before it understands the implications well enough to play any role in its development.The New York Times recently listed the uses of an Information Superhighway, including movies on demand, instant polling, home shopping, and interactive games. Each use assumed a totally passive individual - the next-generation couch potato - devoid of all creative, compassionate, democratic, and community instincts. Interestingly, a number of uses were left out: community discussions; access to government information; political organization; social activism; the arts; and neighborhood events, to name just a few.
This technology has the potential to become a new medium for communication. And with this, comes new opportunities to shape it into a democratic medium that can help communities work together to strengthen bonds and address common concerns. Communities are beset with problems and the tool of democratic discourse has gone brittle and dull through disuse.
For the last two and a half years, the Seattle Community Network (SCN) project has been working to develop democratic computer communications technology to support community development. SCN joins over 100 similar efforts throughout the country (with new projects announced every week.) The "Free-Net" model was pioneered with the Cleveland Free-Net, which now has over 35,000 users. Free-Nets are free to use - everybody in the community can get a free account. Free-Nets present a wide variety of useful information from people and organizations and provide on-line "forums" where people have on-line conversations on topics ranging from issues of the day to pets. Car mechanics, nurses, lawyers, and garden specialists often participate in Question and Answer forums in which people submit questions on-line.
These questions are also answered on-line by the "expert" who is moderating the forum. Other people can read the interchange much like people read Ann Landers or Dear Abby columns in the newspaper. Besides participating in forums, all users get an electronic mail account with which to communicate to anybody on the system or on the Internet worldwide.
These Community Networks or Free-Nets are loosely affiliated into the National Public Telecomputing Network or NPTN. These affiliates share success stories and debate policy possibilities. Moreover, they share on-line services by "cybercasting" with each other. For example, a forum in Seattle on neighborhood recycling could be viewed in Peoria, Berkeley, or Tampa Bay.
SCN is motivated by two basic hypotheses. One is that access to computer-based information can help both individuals and society to better address concerns and problems of modern life. To this end we are working with individuals and organizations to develop information, sponsor forums, and design applications. The second hypothesis is that unfamiliarity and lack of access to electronic technology is extending the already wide chasm between economic haves and have-nots.
For these reasons, all access to the SCN system is free. To help provide access to those without computers and modems we are cooperating with the Seattle Public Library. SCN is now available on the public-access terminals at all 22 branches. SCN has developed both principles and policies that are in keeping with the important role of helping to define and develop a new democratic medium. In our principles statement we explicitly make commitments to access, service, democracy, the world community and to the future. In the policy, free speech, privacy, and civic discourse are stressed.
Since SCN first became available in February we have been developing both the information and services. Currently there is information from Metro, the League of Women Voters, the ACLU, Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Sustainable Seattle and other organizations. There are forums on violence and other issues as well as forums for seniors, people with disabilities and youth. We add information as quickly as we can identify a need, and find volunteers to add it.
We are very interested in forming strong partnerships with community groups of all types - in the arts, media, social services and education to name just a few possibilities. For example, SCN will participate in a project with public television KCTS/9, public radio KUOW, and "Powerful Schools" as part of a Corporation for Public Broadcasting (with support from US West) "Community Wide Education and Information Services" program.
Virtually all the information and forums that are available on these networks are maintained by community volunteers, making them very cost-effective compared to other approaches. Nevertheless there are still costs. As Tom Grundner, founder of the Free-Net Movement states, "Free-Nets are free to use but they're not free to run."
For example SCN needs to buy new phone lines to keep up with user demand as well as better hardware. User donations along with some foundation and corporate support has kept the system running so far. One of the biggest concerns of Community Networks is developing a long-term, sustainable financing model.
Whether or not the Information Superhighway takes a form that resembles anybody's current vision is anybody's guess. There is no doubt that a world wide digital network exists which is growing at a phenomenal rate, doubling in size nearly ever six months. There is also no doubt that the future will bring additional networks - probably interconnected - with more and more users and a wide variety of services. What these new services look like, who uses them, and what policies guide their creation and use is being determined and designed today - with or without us.
Ben Bagdikian, former Dean of the Berkeley School of Journalism, argues that "Since the industrial revolution, society and culture have been subservient to technology. One of the compelling tasks today is to reverse the process and make technology serve culture and society." With your help we can design technology to meet human needs, rather than have it control us.
Doug Schuler has been active with Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility for over 10 years and is now chair of the national organization. He's been involved with SCN since its inception and is currently writing a book on community networks.
How to connect with SCN
In addition to the public-access library terminals, Users can dial into SCN on the Seattle Public Library computer phone numbers (386-4140, 386-4142, 386-4147, and 386-4149). Type in "scn" at the first prompt and your user id or "visitor" if you don't have an id yet at the second prompt. There is an on-line process for initiating an account request. SCN is also available from the Internet, the computer network that connects over 100,000 computers worldwide, via the "telnet" remote login capability (to scn.org).SCN has five committees to divide up the work, including Policy, Outreach, Staff and Facilities, Hardware and Software, and Services. We're always looking for volunteers, especially in the Outreach and Services committees. While committees may meet more frequently and/or less regularly we always try to have the SCN monthly meeting - which is open to the public - on the fourth Wednesday of every month from 7:00 to 9:00 in the meeting room at the University branch of the Seattle Public Library. Call 365-4528 for more information. The Free Press will soon be available on SCN and readers can respond immediately to articles. |
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Contents on this page were published in the June/July, 1994 edition of the Washington Free Press.
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Copyright © 1994 WFP Collective, Inc.