Proceedings of the Inter Technology panel headed by the Council of Tropics
Date: 30th April, 2072
The world awaits the signing of the agreement of the Latitudinal Belt alliance. The signing symbolises the dawn of a new era; for the culturally forgotten, to take on the immense task of rebuilding together. In accordance with one another, seeds and soil alike, stewards of the lands that lay around the 23 degree latitude have seen their climate worsen through the years. Situated across the world, dealing with disasters on their own, they have yet experienced grief, trauma and pain together. Driven away from their homes, made to resettle closer to the poles, they have feared their identities being washed away permanently. To reclaim who they are, their past and future selves, they have now joined hands to form the alliance. As they struggle to find new lands and migrate across borders, they all aspire towards the same goal; solidarity.
The Alliance, responsible for building values of each of its constituents, has been conducting weekly meetings to slowly roll out their expansive manifestos. The Technology panel, one of the most expected gatherings, features over 300 individuals from over 43 nations. Experts and Generalists in each of their fields, with a keen interest in reimagining new networks have been called together to vote on favourable decisions, drafting values into written language.
The esteemed lawmaker of the Alliance walks forth. Dressed in billowing crimson red drapery, with dazzling streaks of gold, emanating a faint reddish hue - they take their place on the stand.
"Dear fellow humans" they bellow. Their voice carries an immense amount of sadness with an air of trepidity. Bolstering themselves with renewed vigour and hope, they start their speech.
"A century ago, long before we lost faith in our billionaire overlords, there existed the first World Wide Web. It connected people from all places through mythical networks of cables and towers. The Web was an invisible ether; meant to make all information accessible to everyone who had a connection. Not everyone knew how it functioned; that had been left to the Big Five. These five companies, headed by their respective overlords, were founded at the turn of the millennium. Initially taking control of technologies from their own garages, they slowly grew in wealth and power. They started colonising minds, and along with it, time and space. Their reach expanded the seas feeding into our homes. Our ancestors were drawn into this magical otherworld called the ‘digital’ that contained people and places they had only dreamt about. Immersing themselves into this escapist fantasy, they forgot about the real world that they were living in.
As the temperature soared and seas rose, they continued living unabated; unaware of what might befall. That was, till the deadly pandemic of 2020. Another invisible entity barged into their houses, unexpected. This time, it threatened their lives and their loved ones’. Forced back into the four walls of home, they watched the world burn outside. They were pushed back to the sight of their own reality on Earth. Living fleetingly between the physical and their digital selves, they tried to make sense of the two. Misinformation in the ‘digital’ turned into violence and deaths in the ‘Real’. While the world went through its collective turmoil, the Big Five sat, simply watching. They provided services, while taking no accountability for everything that was happening. We helped you ‘connect’, they said. Now the rest is yours to save from. Many were angry. They realised they had been fooled and farmed of their data and attention. They were just mere products being advertised to even bigger giants. Of desperation, there arose those within the Big Five, who spoke against them. These critics were silenced or fired.
Our ancestors realised it was time to turn to themselves. Using the same tool that enslaved them, they banded together across the globe, taking down stock markets and capitalist empires, causing mayhem and thus confusing corporations. They shared information aggressively, invigorating those unaware. They hid from the policing algorithms by using their seemingly trivial words. They filmed themselves and constantly streamed from their homes into others homes worldwide. They protested by making the digital world turn black. The Big Five sat through trying not to notice. The truth was, the actions of the public had shaken them down to the very foundation they were built upon.
With nowhere to hide, the Big Five turned to the government. Through influence and persuasion, they were bailed out from the losses they were accruing. As the public health system was sidelined, millions died while their taxes helped the Big Five survive. Outraged, but powerless, our ancestors stood helpless, not knowing how to turn it over.
As the Web accelerated towards excessive abundance, our ancestors were again sucked into this blackhole of infinite activity. The virus receded into the noise and the ‘Digital’ made them feel immortal. Years passed and the Big Five showed no signs of stopping. They purchased nations, seas and went to space. They formed religions, created digital caste systems and mastered the economy. They owned the land we now stand upon.
Ever since, we have seen our share of failed revolutions, unsuccessful uprisings, and put down fires - but, we will not stop here. Our movement has only grown stronger, our resolve firmer. After the last climate disaster, where we have been finally freed from the captive cables of the Big Five, we will stand to spearhead a new wave of sharing information. This new network revolution will be ours. "
As they finish the introductory speech to great cheer, they begin rolling out a lengthy bright yellow coloured fabric, screen printed with perfection. The colours stand out in the glare of the scorching sunlight; and the brightly coloured words stare loudly into the eyes of the audience.
The above is a research based speculative scenario, that involves the reimagining of a new World Wide Web. Taking inspiration from the ethics of the early Internet, open source movements and resistance tactics employed by those who operate under oppressive algorithms, the manifesto represents a possibility of how a Web shaped by the principles of collective care and community ownership might look like. Given below are the research signals that led to the creation of the manifesto:
Collective signals database:
Each of the tenets outlined take inspiration from a fringe movement happening in the present that offers radical ways of operating in the future.
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