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Mr. Schneier and friends have created a new website to promote a change to the socio-economic technical milieu we are currently facing.
He suggests we need to have "public interest technologists" to help the situation.
He writes:
"We need technologists who work in the public interest. We need public-interest technologists.
Defining this term is difficult. One Ford Foundation blog post described public-interest technologists as "technology practitioners who focus on social justice, the common good, and/or the public interest.""
Is he right? How can this be implemented without becoming as riddled with government agents, spies and mafias as the key positions of our corporations and institutions are right now?
Full disclosure: this writer has been a public interest technologist for a while now and I have actually alluded to the need for something like what is being suggested on multiple occasions, 'a different kind of organization' is the way I put it, way back a few months ago.
Discuss.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Sunday October 13 2019, @05:35PM (11 children)
You all get why this doesn't exist and why tech companies only let the public interest go so far, right? It's because if making money isn't part of your business plan, you're only going to exist until you run out of money. And if making a profit isn't part of your business plan, you don't get to grow or even have a rainy day fund. Hell, even SN aims for a small profit so we don't have to shut down non-crucial servers if we miss a funding goal by ten percent or if the day comes that we actually need to expand our capacity.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday October 13 2019, @11:25PM (1 child)
When it's a non-profit company, I think it's called "surplus", not "profit"? Profit can be distributed to the owners--does SN have owners?
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday October 14 2019, @12:39AM
Shareholders, yes (NCommander and matt_, who are also the board members). They got paper instead of money so we could get the startup debts (several thousand dollars worth) off the books. Us staff types keep suggesting every year or so that we start buying the shares back but they keep saying save the money for the site.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday October 14 2019, @02:19AM (7 children)
Don't worry, when we run out of money, we'll take some more straight from TMB's pockets. Because that's what we will do to piss him off. (large grin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday October 14 2019, @03:24AM (6 children)
You're fucked if that's your strategy. My lifestyle requires very little in the way of funds and I work no more than enough to maintain that lifestyle and a conservative savings. Hell, I don't even buy fishing weights anymore; I recycle the lead in old car batteries into whatever weights I'm short on because core charges are roughly the same as bullion rates and without the shipping. Any plan you have that would hit someone of my income level is going to be shouted down by even the staunchest Republican as too regressive.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday October 14 2019, @03:50AM (5 children)
You don't get it, do yea? It's about pissing you, no elaborate plans required.
For the purpose, your old car batteries fit the bill and we'll take them too, thank you for mentioning them (large grin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 14 2019, @05:08AM (4 children)
You seem to think that your amusement is harmless.
It's not.
It's exactly the kind of trolling that helps entrench and embitter opposition to exactly the kind of policy that you espouse.
HTH. HAND.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday October 14 2019, @05:29AM
I espouse... what?
Apologies, mate, at my age I can boast more ex-spouses than policies that I espouse. Nowadays, I tend to let the younger generation pick what they think is good for them (they'll regret it later anyway).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 14 2019, @03:14PM (1 child)
Lol, trolling about taxes is what finally offends these "very fine people."
Can't say I'm surprised, still pretty cringe inducing. Racism, sexism, hate, cruelty, all fine. But don't. Touch. Their. Greeeeeeeed.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 14 2019, @10:39PM
You can also try:
- deplatforming by social media is an undeniable right. Unless you want to say your right to free speech is above their right to private property; but think how do you like their right to free speech to beat your right to private property.
- if you want to experience what a small government means, take a trip to Somalia
- how have you kept lately your government in check with "muh guns"?
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday October 14 2019, @03:42PM
Nah, I enjoy his trolling. It does amuse.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 14 2019, @10:33AM
Yeah, when violating other people's rights is profitable, it's no surprise that that's exactly what people will do. It doesn't change the fact that violating others' rights is an evil act, or that the tech industry needs to be completely destroyed.