Facebook is not (as far as we know) overtly malicious and evil. Rather their aggressive and ambitious pursuit of their self interest (and bottom line) blinds them to the impact they have on media and society.
As a tool the Commotion Wireless Project has been used in a range of situations and locales. However as a concept, it has helped raise the profile and possibility of mesh networking.
People should have greater agency and control over their data. Can the collection and use of data be democratized? Can a democratic society collect and use data responsibly, and with the consent of citizens? Can people have greater access and input on how their data is used and why?
One of the elements sorely missing from this current pandemic induced crisis are better stories. In our obsession with data, and our focus on numbers, we’re missing the larger role of narrative. Without narrative, we remain lost in the wilderness of confusion and chaos.
The growing disparity between the quality of the Internet in urban areas compared to rural communities is scandalous. It reflects the self-interest that governs Internet infrastructure.