19/08/2008
Yochai Benkler | Open Source Economics
Yochai Benkler explains how collaborative projects like Wikipedia and Linux represent the next stage of human organization.
Quote posted at 12:20
15/08/2008
We were recently invited to the lovely annual Atlas party (Fajanza 2008) with a handful of other startups. We were supposed to demo with the other companies but the wine tastings were far too rowdy. Despite that, Atlas’ “let me pitch you” game was quite successful, and the food was awesome, even considering that you had to battle bees to get to it. Also the pool lights up when its dark. Triple awesome.
Photo posted at 19:48
07/07/2008
Hopefully we’re going to start selling these soon - if we don’t give them all away.
Photo posted at 12:18
01/07/2008
{ Jonathan Zittrain: The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It }
Quote posted at 07:49
» Politics in Social Networking: Ameritocracy
I’m so glad to see this post, because its one of our early organic posts and although its fairly balanced, Leslie Poston is overall doubtful about Ameritocracy. As said below, this is awesome, I want people thinking critically about the site and its definition of success. At the same time, I’d like to reply.
Leslie says: “When anyone can submit any bastardized quote and claim anyone said it under the guise of ‘finding the truth’, that’s a recipe for trouble. Alternatively, someone can put up a real quote and a troll can challenge it.”
In both cases (which basically amount to people adding junk or misleading content), there are built-in tools to help the Ameritocracy community overcome bad information. All content (except comments) must be cited. From there, misquotes can be flagged and bad or junk content can be rated down.
There are many ways to game a system like Ameritocracy, but we’re banking on the dedication of the hard core 1% of the community to police this stuff. It works on Wikipedia vastly more often than it fails to work.
No system is perfect - particularly on the internet, but also in real life. The only other option (which might perhaps please Leslie? I’m not sure.) is to have a board of 5 highly trustworthy, highly credible, highly knowledgeable people factchecking - which is exactly what we don’t want. If we all get our reliable news from just a few people, there are simply too many chances for those people to abuse their position (and many do).
It’s true that an open and user-generated system like Ameritocracy is more prone to gaming than a closed and controlled system. However, I’d much rather participate in a system where I have to sort through some of the crap, than in one where its shoved down my throat.
{ Iris* }
Link posted at 07:48
» Seattle startup hopes to aid Internet accuracy
Mike Flynn, long-time Northwest region journalist and former publisher of the Puget Sound Business Journal (for 24 years!) has written about us on his blog and email newsletter, which apparently is read by a cadre of influential business community members in the Northwest. It’s a great read.
- Porter
Link posted at 07:23
» Ameritocracy: fact-checking for the masses
I’m so glad to see some skepticism surrounding Ameritocracy. Skepticism will help us grow. What I really love are people who ask GOOD QUESTIONS. In the comments, a user named Mattt said: “So this is basically an invitation to millions of appeal ad populum fallacious arguments.”
What he means by “appeal ad populum fallacious arguments” is essentially claiming that public opinion is the truth (see Wikipedia: Argumentum ad populum). I love that he brought this up because it’s a core aspect of our site that doesn’t get talked about that often. Porter’s initial goal for the site was to help people get closer to the truth. I feel as the site evolved that it most certainly turned into a show of public opinion which, as we know, can never be presumed as a representation of the truth (a great example is the WMD fiasco).
Mental Note: I should probably message this better on the website…
My personal hope, and one the company shares I believe, is that public opinion plus varying viewpoints will not necessarily show us The Way to The Truth, but that they’ll give us a more rounded understanding of the situation, and with the magic of Collective Intelligence, perhaps give us the whole picture through a variety of opinions. In a way, Wikipedia represents public opinion as well, as it is fully user-generated. We’re hoping to get the same level of quality content on Ameritocracy, although there will be barriers, such as the odd motivation to be jerks about issues like politics.
In anycase, no Mattt, there is no Santa Claus. We do not claim that the public opinion on our site is the truth, but we are hoping it will help us get part-way there, while also encouraging people to engage with these issues and perhaps in the end, making some participants in society shake in their boots.
{ Iris* }
Link posted at 07:13
29/06/2008
Radio(talking)head(s)
We’ve had a few interviews over the real and virtual airwaves lately:
- I was a guest on Karen Jagoda’s Digital Politics on June 20th. Fortunately for us, if unfortunately for the listeners, the other guest - well-known pollster Mark Mellman - was running late, so we got a few extra moments to discuss Ameritocracy. Go to Digital Politics to stream or download the interview.
- Bobby was interview by Louis Errols on Air America last Tuesday, June 24th, at 8:30am EST. He did great, though I haven’t found a clip online (ahem, ahem, WWRL!)
Text posted at 14:45
27/06/2008
I love jonathan zittrain
Photo posted at 12:58
26/06/2008
Photo posted at 18:19
