CYBER ACTIVISM

Cyber activism refers to the extensive use of the Internet to provide counter-hegemonic information and inspire social mobilizations is a new phenomenon in which a variety of new forms of movements and protests are using the most modern information technologies. Hence, cyber activism through the Net is seen in:  1) Internetworking, 2) Capital and information flows, and 3) Alternative media and theory: A. Alternative media and B. Alternative theory networks. Cyber activism in the Net is seen in: 4) Direct cyber activism (hacktism), 5) Contesting and constructing the Internet and 6) Online alternative community formation. We define the types of cyber activism preliminarily as follows.

1) Internetworking: The Internet has enabled the wide spread expansion of established movements. We would like to distinguish three types of internetworking: a) organization and network coordination, b) grass roots global internetworking, and c) direct action coordination. Regarding grass roots global internetworking: Various AGMs as alternative globalization movement protests are expressions of a form of political networking and internetworking, often across a wide variety networks/movements cooperating with others at odds that culminate in mobilizations and diverse sets of actions by a diversity of groups ,A fundamental change in social movement activity is the linking of diverse movements into super movement spheres for the networking of information and resources and the creation of universal social justice and rights charters.

        

2) Capital and information flows: We would distinguish three main types of net based economic activity, the sue of mainstream networked channels of capital distribution, solicitation, and management by social movements

Large mainstream movement organizations and NGOs raise funds o use of bureaucratic organization methods, new groups within and across various AGM networks do use net-based capital flows.

The propriety of digital information continues to be challenged by post-Napster peer-2-peer, p2p, distribution networks based on free/liberated software such as Gnuttela, Kazak, and WinMX.[1] Indeed, the attack on Napster may have been counterproductive to the goal of Media conglomerates to suppress digital piracy and counter culture competition in that the architecture of pirated and alternative noncommercial media distribution is now decentralized, hence much more difficult to control. Decentralized networks dedicated to sharing digital media are probably here to stay, as long as the net is a relatively open system. It should be noted that cultural media can be the carriers for encrypted political messages and were used as such as the use of messages in electronically transferred pornography by the Al Qaeda network. Various alternative media and distribution processes are of course used by a whole range of – from fascist to conservative to progressive to radical – politicized artists and musicians, can serve simultaneously as political organizing venues (political bands and protests/cyber activism go together, online media distribution, and alternative media.

3Alternative media and theory:

Alternative media: We note three types of alternative media on the net: a) alternative media, b) grass roots global media and information networks and c) counter-surveillance measures.

Alternative media including variously, online alternatives to mainstream media, social movement media, and local media online): Just as major newspapers now cultivate online readerships, established left/right media are using the net to distribute part or all of their publications stock of articles and recruit readers. Consider: Encyclopedia Britannica has moved online. Specialized professional publications are moving online. Many persons online now use the net as primary source of news.

Another aspect of alternative net media, more on the research and strategic organizing end, is making privileged communications and information increasingly transparent. This open character of information on the net (which rightly concerns privacy advocates relating to personal information) is the basis for an intriguing and powerful type of cyber-activism is the counter-surveillance measures that labor and interested groups have taken to object to corporate activities.

By Foya John H.

BAPRM 42553