Where there isn’t direct network access, people are building their own, and seeking alternative ways to receive and distribute quality digital content. Community Network organizations create the tools, services and strategies that help communities build and maintain self-governed and owned communication infrastructure.
This panel is an insight into the future of community networks, combining perspectives from community research, next generation peer-to-peer protocols, hardware and frontline implementation. Our overarching question: How could and should these perspectives come together to enable the best possible future for community-led communication infrastructure?
We're open to engage with participants within the limited time of discussion, and follow up on further discussions at other levels and written Q&A among panelists and participants.
We expect to have at least 20 participants, and working to form a diverse panel that would encourage others to tune in and participate in the discussions.
What is the goal and/or outcome of your session?:Creating a space for community network researchers, technologists, implementers and enthusiasts to:
- Share their community network experience and provide an overview of the current landscape;
- Discuss their vision of the future of community networks (what will change in the future, how I’m/we are planning to make it happen); and
- Identify untapped opportunities for building stronger community networks collaboratively.
Collaborating on integration of services of all relevant stakeholders to build sustainable and resilient networks that work against internet shutdown and could be utilized for community networks in rural and remote areas.
Example:
Knapsack satellite file-casting (delivering files) + Mesh Network Technologies (building infrastructure) + Peer-to-peer communication application (sharing file in a secure and decentralized way) + offline-first apps.
Partnership Manager at NetFreedom Pioneers | Knowledge Broker and Internet Freedom Activitst
Strategic Development, Community & Comms. Manager at NetFreedom Pioneers. Co-founder & former Executive Director, Internet Freedom Festival.
General Coordinator of Rhizomatica
Community Intranets Project Coordinator (Redes AC ) and Graduate Student MA in Communications and Technology (University of Alberta)
InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) Project Lead at Protocol Labs
Anthropologist from MIT - Researches on Impacts of Community Networks