Exploring Internet Futures: What are alternative economic models for a better Internet

The interactions that create the internet economy shape the way we use the web and what we believe is possible online. We know the current economic ecosystem of the internet is unhealthy, potentially harmful, and unsustainable as well. Current business models are contributing to the centralization of power, fueling surveillance, and perpetuating inequalities in participation. A lot of people are already focused on how to make what we currently have ‘less bad.’ That’s important work, but we also need space to begin to imagine what else is possible. That’s what this session is about. This session will be a discussion focused on centering values, questioning power, and imagining something different. Together, we’ll explore what a good economy of the web would look like. We’ll begin to name the principles it would be based on. We’ll share examples of new models and approaches.