“Knitting Our Internet” (KOI) is a workshop that explores the history of the Internet, and offers a perspective for a collective re-imagination of participatory, decentralized networks.
The workshop aims at questioning the very essence of today’s social media, exposing the critical limits posed by centralization, monopoly, and surveillance capitalism.
KOI was conceived in June 2023 by Tommaso Marmo, who was looking for a simple yet critical and accurate way to introduce the concept of the Fediverse to non-experts.
The content and structure of the workshop matured over time, as it adapted to very diverse audiences of any ages and backgrounds. Furthermore, the experience is based on Tommaso’s academic research, mainly conducted for “Computer Sciences are Social Sciences”, his bachelor’s thesis.
Content
During the activity, Tommaso will be using a yarn his grandmother gifted him to simulate centralized and decentralized networks, employing concrete metaphors to actively involve the participants. Every individual attending the workshop will be given a quote or an image relevant in the early and contemporary history of the Internet, and they will be asked to share it as the story unfolds.
Allowing them to understand the essential challenges society faces in relation to technological advancement, participants will be empowered to get involved in the Fediverse, especially understanding the importance of decentralization, Free Software, and the political role played by technical tools.
Notes
Given its malleable and open structure, the content of the workshop can be adapted, enriched, and edited to match the key topics of SFSCON 2024 in the best possible way.
The interactive parts of the workshop can be limited and a more theoretical presentation, diving in the thoughts of philosophers and computer sciences, could be added, too.
Supported by: FSFE – Free Software Foundation Europe
