A Technologist Manifesto against Data Imperialism

Tactical Mission

As technologists demystifying international data politics, we advance data activism and journalism toward victory in the fight for universal human rights and social justice.

Our mission is critical within the context of data access regulation to prevent an overt monopolization of the web. We can achieve our mission thru critical technology usage dissection in order to raise awareness, develop solutions, and build capacity. In effect, we must equip digitally autonomous people to holistically resist worldwide data imperialism.

Technical Challenge

Technologists must overcome our vulnerability to the governmental regulation of public data. If we do not elect political officials that can advocate on our behalf, we become subject to governmental powers should they decide to regulate the web.

Technologists are in competition with government, “big tech”, and the corporate sector for user mindshare in the marketplace of behaviors, policies and ideas. We compete for user focus in a financially pressurized, money-driven market in a rapidly changing global context. However, we do not assert an agenda as much as provide an alternative for autonomous citizens to successfully resist data monopolization.

Inspired by data activists and journalists, technologists must determine competition as mindset versus actuality. Therefore, our “competitive data set” is a reflection of the collective consciousness of our users. Most users seek to subvert data monopolization as well as the perversion and manipulation of public information. Therefore, we must provide users information in the support and empowerment of their “decision data set”.

Despite challenges faced from our profit-focused competition, technologists must persist in our service-based ethos and programming. Ultimately, our job is to empower data activists and journalists to re-position competitive assets for the common good (versus corporate profit/governmental control), hence financially empowering users rather than merely taking their money for profit.

Our advancement strategy is inclusive rather than exclusive. We treat our community as empowered users rather than a mass of consumers subject to profit and/or rule. Though governments and corporations often claim to make products FOR the people, technologists must create and advance programming for the people that is OF the people.

Data Activism + Journalism

We aim to liberate the masses from data monopolization. Therefore, our user pool includes anyone seeking to actively resist data imperialism.

Data activists are “foot soldiers” for digital equity and journalists are their global advocates. Through digital and physical protests, activists “sound the alarm of injustice” to awaken the masses to the horrors of data imperialism. Meanwhile, journalists broadcast the alarm to the wider public in areas where the activists may not be able reach. Journalists tend to have robust social media followings and readerships that can help spread activism wider and faster.

By helping to build and align the knowledge bases of data activists and journalists, technologists can empower them to jointly mobilize data equality initiatives and mass communications to the effect. In return, we can garner their feedback and activity data to (re-)design, implement and globally expand subsequent programming and events on their behalf.