Exhibit B
Distributed Control over Means of Communication
Some of the best examples here are controversial, and in presenting them, we do not participate in judgement on the cases, but instead present them to demonstrate the auditing, archiving and resource dissemination capabilities of lay activist sites, highlighting that communication is no longer an activity that can only be marshalled within and according to official institutions.
The Liverpool dockers site is useful in demonstrating the archiving capacity of the net. It suggests how unofficial structures can, with low resources, provide high quality archives that can allow for the retention of memories that may otherwise be lost. The Liverpool dockers archive is an extremely detailed resource. For the period of the strike, the archive contains over 3,400 files detailing how the strike unfolded, along with accounts of the striker’s opinions, discussions and arguments, as well as details of solidarity actions and messages of support.
The auditing capacity of the net based activist seen here is truly impressive, whether one agrees or not with the intent behind the campaign.
UNISON has aimed to ensure that self-organised groups, representing the diversity of membership (lesbian and gay members, black workers, disabled workers) are also entitled to web space and presence.