DigiActive.org

a chat with Change the Web Director Joe Solomon

Note: An earlier draft of this interview was published about a week ago. This draft, which has been reviewed by Joe, is a better reflection on his opinions on the subjects presented.

Last week I had the pleasure of talking to my friend & colleague Joe Solomon, Director of the Social Actions’ Cange the Web Challenge. The Challenge asked web developers to create innovative tools to help people find and share online actions in the Social Actions database, with $10,000 in prize money on offer. (Winners were just announced!).

Joe and I had a chance to discuss the challenge’s finalists, trends, and online activism in general. Here are the highlights:

Mary: What digital activism trends did you notice in the applications that were submitted?

Joe: Well, we saw a change in what it means to create a mash-up. In an old-school mash-up you put data together and hoped people would come. As activists we want to expose data, but we also want to reach more people who will find that data. We’re concerned with outreach. We saw a number of developers pushing the boundaries of “meeting people where they are” online. A number of apps bridged ways to take action on sites and platforms we visit and use all the time, like WordPress, Twitter & Facebook, Firefox, OpenSocial, the iPhone, as well as widgets and tools that can work on any website. Also, the Sunlight Foundation had their App Contest at around the same time (they just announced their winners) and if you check out their apps you’ll see a similar trend.

Mary: I know it’s hard to single out one among the excellent finalists, but could you tell us about any projects that surprised you or that might indicate new possibilities in digital activism?

Joe: First, a disclaimer: I’m not a judge of the contest so my opinion doesn’t have an impact on the winners.  One app I like though is the “Take Action” button, literally a button a site owner can put on their site, which visitors can click to receive information on actions based on the content of that site. I like this app because it has the potential to transform any website into a platform for social change. However there are a number of other awesome apps. Really, it’s kinda crazy, we were blown away by the innovation! You can check out an overview of the 40+ apps that draw on Social Actions’s database here. Most are open-source, too!

I think we’re also at an exciting point in time where opportunities to take action online are becoming more engaging. We’re moving from signing online petitions as being one of the main e-advocacy tools of choice to inviting people to share expert advice & research, collaborate in real time, and micro-volunteer as new modes of online activism. It’s not just about the method of delivery. We need more relevant and effective online actions that lead to off-line impact. And I think as this space evolves, the apps that promote these actions will become ever-more engaging and ultimately more successful.

Mary: Other than by building new applications, what are some ways that digital activists can “change the web”?

Joe: Re-purposing the tools we’re already using like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook – and using these to promote issues and engage supporters are great ways to remix the web for change.
image source: Joe Solomon

Social Actions + DigiActive: Facebook chat

What? DigiActive will participate in a chat on the topic of Facebook for Social Change as part of Social Actions’ Change the Web conversation series.  We’ll be ably represented by our lead researcher, Dan Schultz, author of DigiActive’s Facebook guide.
When? this Thursday, February 26th, 11am PST (USA West Coast)
Where? on the Social Actions web site at http://socialactions.com/changetheweb/chat (appropriately, you can sign up for the change on the Facebook group here)
Why? To participate in a great discussion on the values of Facebook for activism, which will also include Susan Gordon  of Facebook Causes, Ivan Boothe of Rootwork.org, and which will be moderated by Beth Pickard and David Karp of Firstgiving.