seattle indymedia center

(part 3) improving the signal-to-noise ratio at Seattle Indymedia

author: Ben Seattle
Mar 08, 2006 09:26

pratical steps to improve the signal-to-noise ratio at Seattle Indymedia
(reply to Mike Novack and Seattle Indymedia editors)

Apparently the indymedia editorial group made a decision to remove my previous post from the newswire.

It is still in the archives at:
 http://seattle.indymedia.org/en/2006/03/252032.shtml

The background here is that seattle indymedia and other indymedia centers in the U.S. and around the world are serving the progressive movements, helping to mobilize people for antiwar actions and so forth. This upsets the ruling bourgeoisie (ie: the class which owns or controls the major corporations and institutions in society). Rumsfield, for example, recently complained that imperialism is in danger of losing the information war. This background is useful in understanding the assault on indymedia (locally and elsewhere) and how we can best defend ourselves against this assault.

The attack on indymedia is not taking place on the legal front: the bourgeoisie allows activists to have free speech rights in order to reinforce the illusion that we all live in a so-called "democracy" where the government supposedly represents the will of the masses. Rather the attack on indymedia is directed at our signal-to-noise ratio: if our newswire can be sufficiently degraded with right-wing spam, disinformation and crude, thoughtless and malicious comments -- then the newswire becomes defacto useless for activists to talk to one another and organize.

So defending the signal-to-noise ratio of indymedia is very important.

In the past I have proposed a software solution to help defend our signal-to-noise ratio -- giving everyone the right to create and use filters of their choice. See, for example this page:

> Democratic filters (where readers can create, share, select and
> combine filters) are the solution to newswire spam on Indymedia
>  http://NewsRefinery.com/indymedia/proposal.htm

So far, however, no open-source software developers have learned of this proposal or stepped forward to help make it a reality.

At this time it is clear that the immediate step forward to defend our signal-to-noise ratio is political.

Mike Novack asks me if I have 7 hours a week (ie: rather than 15 hours) to devote to indymedia work so that I might make a proposal that would involve my being part of the indymedia editorial group.

I believe another approach would be more useful.

This discussion is too important to be confined to Mike and me. The indymedia editorial group -- as well as a larger section of the progressive community should be involved in helping to sort out practical steps forward.

This is why I have proposed that this topic (ie: defending the signal-to-noise ratio at indymedia) be placed in the center column -- where it will have greater visibility and a longer "shelf life".

The indymedia editorial group should explain what their policy is towards the disruptive and demoralizing neo-nazi spam. The editorial group should explain _why_ it is closed to anyone who contributes less than 15 hours a week toward indymedia work.

I do not believe that the 15 hour a week rule serves the development of indymedia. The period in which neo-nazis spammed our newswire (coinciding with their marches in Olympia and Florida) demonstrates that our current system is not working well.

It would be better to make use of the energy of many volunteers (some of whom might have only an hour or two per month to contribute to this cause) to help patrol the newswire. But in order for this to be practical -- we would need to develop a clear consensus, supportered by the progressive community, for the principles that would guide these volunteers. An article in the center column would be a step toward developing such a consensus.

Finally, I should make clear that I disagree with the removal of my previous post from the newswire. I cannot see how it serves the progressive community to allow the neo-nazis to post to the newswire but not me.

Sincerely,
Ben Seattle
 http://struggle.net/ben

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