Anarchists, Pirates, Ideologists, and Disasters: New Digital Trends and Their Impacts

Pnina Shachaf, Noriko Hara, Kristin Eschenfelder, Abby Goodrum, Lori Cooke Scott, Kalpana Shankar, Muzaffer Ozakca, Alice Robbin

ASIS&T Annual Meeting - 2006 (ASIS&T 2006)
Austin, Texas, November 3-9, 2006

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Abstract

An increasing number of people use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to mobilize their resources and enhance their activities. This mobilization has nebulous consequences for society: On one hand, use of ICT has allowed for the mobilization of millions of people for disaster relief efforts and peace movements. On the other hand, it has also helped hackers, pirates to undertake destructive activities. In many cases it is hard to judge the moral consequences of the use of ICT by marginalized groups. This panel will address both online disasters created by anarchists and pirates and disaster relief efforts aided by ICTs.

The panel will present five studies of which three will focus on online disobedience and two will focus on ICT use for disaster. Together these presentations illustrate both positive and negative consequences of the new digital trends. Goodrum deliberates on an ethic of hacktivism in the context of online activism. Eschenfelder discusses user modification of or resistance to technological protection measures. Shachaf and Hara present a study of anarchists who attack information posted on Wikipedia and modify the content by deleting, renaming, reinterpreting, and recreating information according to their ideologies. Scott examines consumer media behaviors after hurricane Katrina and Rita disasters. Shankar and Ozakca discuss volunteer efforts in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.

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