Web of Change

The Meatrix captured a lot of people’s attention when it was released in the fall of 2003. It ‘went viral’ in a way not seen before for an advocacy film. Since its launch, the animation has been viewed millions of times and won numerous awards at film and online festivals.

The film has now become the reference point for activists who want their issue to ‘go viral’, inspiring a word-of-mouse buzz that puts an issue in front of millions of people.

Every web content creator has heard a variation of the question “How can we make our film/animation/feature/report/press release the next ‘Meatrix”? I have always wanted to ask the people behind the Meatrix a few questions, so at the end of lunch Friday I asked Jonah Sachs three questions.

with Philip King, Artez Interactive and Tom Williams, GiveMeaning

notes by Katherine Dodds

Framing Question:
Is it more important to concentrate on Fundraising? Or message?

Key is Finding affinity networks.

Philip King, Artez Interactive

Who am I , who is Artez – based in TO Ontario
Build tools for charities -- we provide a simple solution

- Fundraising with techies – blend
We have Canadian clients US Clients
- GetActive - provide our technology through GetActive
- Fundraising solutions

Came from United Way, I’m interested in Social Network Fundraising – not the Rich folks asking rich folks … tired of that model
Pledge based special events, Breast Cancer Run – at the end of the day – its an individual – and that individual would be a fundraiser”

Tom Williams, GiveMeaning

Questions and discussion with Jodie Tonita

Notes by Steve Andersen

There is not a culture of list building in Canada
* Canada looks to the US for ideas on this
* Canada doesn't have access to the voter file like US folks do

Popcorn Questions

What are the ways that we build lists?
** we lie and coerce to get people to give up their name when all we really want to do is ask them for money
** we get obsessed about it and are concerned about size of list

This session was organized talk-show style, with the ever-charismatic host Philip Smith, from Community Bandwidth. Philip welcomed the studio audience (it was being podcast) and introduced the panel: Michelle Hoar, from BC's political online publication, The Tyee; Dean Ericksen, from the environmental online daily, Grist; and Audrey Watson, from Yes!, a quarterly magazine dedicated to social justice issues.

Philip lobbed a number of broad questions, which panelists caught with aplomb, offering interesting commentary from their particular perspectives. Dean kept things lively by peppering the conversation with cheeky one-liners.

Presenters: Roz (New Organizing Institute) and Michael (EchoDitto)

What is Web 2.0?
Web 1.0 was the traditional media, broadcast, one to many model. Web 1.5, lot of feedback loops with discussion. Web 2.0 has many-to-many connections, with two-way conversations, changing the nature of organizations. What has shifted is the typical user experience -- people are now looking to people for their content.

Why is Web 2.0 is important for social change sector?

1. influential: you can extend your reach to many.
2. trusted: networks are more trusted through their constituents vs. organizations sending them messages.

How can on-the-ground organizers in often volunteer-run non-profits take advantage of emergent technologies? Good question, damn good question, and one Leda Dederich tackled with boundless and infectious energy. Leda presented a “data dump” of results generated from a year’s worth of research done under the auspices of dotOrganize. Despite her energy, by her own admission Leda was tired; it caused her to swear, and express her desires for swearing in her official report. Someone who speaks my language (yes, “swear” is a language in some parts).

Leda’s research goals were simple: to understand and document a known problem in the non-profit sector. From there, the idea was to inform the non-profit sector, create short-term “doable” goals and, importantly, foster a long-term vision. But perhaps the most critical aspect of the project’s objectives was to empower the organizers – those knee deep in it, who don’t have the time or the money to figure out, let alone deal with, their tech woes.