[Open-access] [open-science] CC-BY

[Heather Morrison]

This argument appears to reflect a position of technological determinism which I reject - the idea that we are helpless to do anything but adapt to advancing technology. The key problem with this argument is that it is we humans that create the technology, and we have the ability to shape it.

Another example of this kind of argument that people are thankfully beginning to question, is the idea that now that we have the internet it is ridiculous to think that there is any notion of privacy and the accompanying idea that society both can and does accept this.

Snowden's revelations of NSA surveillance are such a good illustration of the dangers of this loss of privacy that people are beginning to take notice and say that yes, we do want privacy in the online environment. Humans are not helpless with respect to this technology; we created it, and we can shape it future.

This perspective is essential to the work of advocates for open access, open science, a free and open internet. We work for this (I think) because we perceive this as a desirable potential of the internet, and we do not believe that this potential will be achieved by sitting back and watching the technology unfold, but rather because we think action is both necessary and desirable.

If you're interested in the social shaping of technology, you might want to read some of Andrew Feenberg, e.g. Questioning Technology or Transforming Technology.

~ my two bits ~ thoughts?

Heather Morrison


On 2013-09-03, at 10:48 AM, Luke Winslow wrote:

> This kind of thing has been happening for a while. It is a natural consequence of open licenses. Wikipedia has been re-packaged and sold many times. While I can't find an example, popular open source software has fallen prey from time to time, being repackaged and sold to uninformed consumers who don't realize there are cost-free versions available.
> 
> I would argue this new world requires more of the consumer. Be savvy. Do a little google research. There's no going back to simpler times, the complexity is here to stay.
> 
> -Luke
> 
> On 2013-09-03 9:08 AM, Klaus Graf wrote:
>> http://blogs.ubc.ca/chendricks/2013/08/31/troubling-open-access-cc-by/
>> 
>> Thoughts?
>> 
>> Klaus Graf
>> 
>> 
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-- 
Dr. Heather Morrison
Assistant Professor
École des sciences de l'information / School of Information Studies
University of Ottawa

http://www.sis.uottawa.ca/faculty/hmorrison.html
Heather.Morrison at uottawa.ca

ALA Accreditation site visit scheduled for 30 Sept-1 Oct 2013 /
Visite du comité externe pour l'accréditation par l'ALA est prévu le 30
sept-1 oct 2013

http://www.sis.uottawa.ca/accreditation.html
http://www.esi.uottawa.ca/accreditation.html