The Occupy movement entered the New Year in full swing with the launch and development of new digital platforms designed to maintain, propel and extend the dialogue of social, economic and environmental justice into the year ahead.
These developments first caught headlines across the pond as news emerged that tech developers were working on the international Global Square project – which aims to redesign social networking for activists, outside of the confines of mainstream and commercial online space such as the Facebook network. Beyond the blueprints of Global Square and other works-in-progress, the New Year weekend saw the launch of a plethora of online tools that were soon occupied by activists.
New online services include: OccupyList.org – a notably comprehensive global directory of occupy contact details and related media; Occupii.org – a one-stop website and social network for all to do with the occupy movement; SayOccupy.com – a global source for occupy news, information and resources; The People’s Assemblies Network dedicated newswire – a ‘noise free’ channel for communications relating to global calls for the emergence of citizens’ democratic assemblies.
This week will also see the Future of Occupy collective go public with the online launch of a virtual library of actionable movement documents, blog posts and a platform for a diverse array of conversations. The international initiative at thefutureofoccupy.org aims to support self-reflection on the occupy movement to date whilst providing one-stop access to information and insights into the future of the movement.
Combined with these new services, activists are also turning to established democratic workflow platforms to co-ordinate projects from a digital front. Platforms in use include BetterMeans.com – a tool that differs from hierarchical project environments by allowing users to develop project work in a more open and democratic way.
The developments in online space are in line with wider calls to maintain and broaden the dialogue of reform amid continuing threats to the movement. With mass evictions and media blackouts falling on some Occupy movements across the globe – and the possibility of similar attacks here in London – commentators have argued that the future of the movement requires the solidification of the occupy networks that have been established at the camps and the extension of the dialogue on issues of reform to be taken to the wider 99%.