Now, groups are banding together to address the issue – in a true geek call to arms. The most popular as of late, Diaspora* “will let users set up their own personal servers, called seeds, create their own hubs and fully control the information they share.” (Read the NYTimes article here).

It is easy to take for granted just how much personal information Facebook contains – personal information that they actually claim as their own.  It will be interesting to see how the backlash plays out – there is a group advocating for a Facebook protest day next month, and other groups are coming out to say they’re already ahead of Diaspora*’s goals.

As @evanmcd pointed out in our talk last night – Facebook is like this decades AOL. Remember when it seemed impossible to get online without being on AOL??

Indeed, the times they change.

It’s very healthy that conversations such as the one Edward took part in are happening. More are needed. Many, many more. Things are not going to change overnight but things do, and will, and need to change. Whether agencies like it or not. So it would behoove as many as possible to, ahem, “join the conversation.” ”

You can read the full article here

I really like the current trend of government opening up their “data” to the public so that they can play with it to make it useful to others. The MBTA has done this and developers have gone on to create apps that track when the bus is coming (I am a big fan of Catch the Bus and wish it included more bus lines).

I love that this contest focuses on data and design from an aesthetic POV as well as a functional. Great stuff and thanks to @e26ld for the head’s up!