OneWebDay

OneWebDay, Sept. 22, is an Earth Day for the internet.

Here’s a very short overview video that will give you the idea (watch here) and a Rocketboom interview about OneWebDay (here). For recommendations about actions to take on OneWebDay, and electronic versions of all the logos and buttons we use, go to the action page. The first OneWebDay took place in 2006.

It’s easy to take the web for granted. But it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on what the web could mean to humankind in the future. That’s the purpose of OneWebDay, held each September 22.

There are substantial threats to the free flow of information online, all over the world. Many governments censor online content. (see opennet.net). Many people in developing nations can’t get online at all. We need to ensure that the internet used by future generations will be open and empowering — access to the internet is central to the future of humanity.

The idea behind OneWebDay is to encourage people to think of themselves as responsible for the internet, and to take good and visible actions on Sept. 22 that (1) celebrate the positive impact of the internet on the world and (2) shed light on the problems of access and information flow.

OneWebDay is a global, decentralized event. We’re encouraging people around the world to meet up on Sept. 22 to talk about how the web could change lives around the world in the future. To see a list of the events we know about, click here.

Local OWD celebrations include a “Day of fair access to the Internet” in Colombia, where public kiosks and workshops on basic internet access will be delivered to people of all ages and economic status to introduce them to the internet.

In Africa, ISOC Benin will offer free public access to the internet and participate in an open debate about developing access to the Internet on a national television show. In Ethiopia, cybercafés in Addis Ababa will make available connected computers to the public at a discounted rate on 22 and 23 September 2007. Volunteers will help people who are new to the internet in creating their accounts and show them how to use the web. And lots more.

There will be an OWD event in Washington Square Park from 3pm to 4pm on 9/22. Jimmy Wales (founder of Wikipedia), Andrew Baron (Rocketboom), Dana Spiegel (NYCWireless) and others will be speaking.

Tim Berners-Lee made a video in honor of OWD which is here. It’s been translated into many languages.

*Online,* we’re encouraging people to make their own short videos and post them on blip.tv or youtube or dotsub.com tagged “onewebday2007″. Suggested topics:

+ how the web has changed your life

+ how you’d like the web to change the world in the future

+ highlights of what you’ve seen online the day you make the video

+ your favorite online event ever

+ something you’ve done online with other people in other countries

The internet is made of people, not just machines. It’s up to us to protect it. We can use OneWebDay around the world to raise awareness of the threats to the internet — including censorship, inadequate access, control of various kinds — and to celebrate the positive impact of the internet on human lives.