Digital Solidarity Networks in times of the pandemic
a shared listing of tools, practices and readings for digital solidarity and conviviality

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To whoever encounters this pad: this is work-in-progress, please join! 

This is the start of a listing of some resources regarding mutual aid strategies and social closeness through alternative digital infrastructures in times of physical distancing, remote working or care giving, etc. This pad contains examples of collective digital alternative practices, in a time where everything points to the further consolidation and accelerated normalization of the Big Tech industry (Zoom, Facebook groups, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Skype, etc.). Other attitudes are possible!

In such a context, we feel the response-ability to suggest a different approach to technology. One that promotes collective networks of solidarity that don't rely on data extractivist models, reconsider the figure of the user, and can be adapted to the specificities of each situation. Luckily, there are already plenty of kickass, inspiring initiatives doing great work in this arena. With this pamphlet, we hope to share some of them.

At the same time, we cannot ignore that it takes effort, and a great amount of privilege, to abandon these corporate tech solutions once and for all. Ease-of-use in times of urgency, network effects, family members whose contact is dependent on the usage of mainstream social networking platforms, complicated political situations where these are sadly the most convenient choice, the need for an online presence in times of structural precarity, etc, are all considerations that should not be discarded and are the reality for most of us. In fact, and precisely because of such considerations, we are not advocating a purist approach. We are all entangled with Big Tech, but we would prefer to critique, limit and eventually abandon our dependencies. However, with this pamphlet we hope to provide a counterpoint to approaches such as https://techagainstcoronavirus.com/, which promote technologies that reinforce capitalist ideals of productivity in situations of crisis (i.e.: "business as usual").

So if you are interested in experimenting with other digital infrastructures, we invite organisations, collectives and individuals to look closer into these alternatives and support them to the best of their abilities, by either hosting their own versions of the software, therefore diminishing the visitor load, or providing financial compensation for their services.

Meanwhile, smaller groups do not have to wait for these organisations to finally put their tech-hearts in the right place .... There are many tools and hosting initiatives to start exploring and engaging.

We have curated this list from a similar perspective to those articulated by the tennets of the Feminist Server Manifesto (https://areyoubeingserved.constantvzw.org/Summit_afterlife.xhtml ), ...

The list will perhaps be slowly updated as new projects and groups are announced depending on our energies, how the virus and our governments respond to each other, ... etc etc, no pressure, no productivity claims. We try to not apologize for not being always available.


Translations of the above text:
- generated French translation https://pad.vvvvvvaria.org/digital-solidarity-networks_french
- Portuguese translation https://pajuba.frama.wiki/wiki:solidariedade_feminista


General resources



Connected lists



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 \| |_) |/ |  _|"  \/ _ \//| | | | \ V /        | |    | | | |     \| |\| <\___ \/ |  _|"   
  |  _ <   | |___  / ___ \U| |_| |U_|"|_u      /| |.-,_| |_| |      | |_| |u___) | | |___   
  |_| \_\  |_____|/_/   \_\|____/ u |_|       u |_|U\_)-\___/      <<\___/ |____/>>|_____|  
  //   \\_ <<   >> \\    >> |||_.-,//|(_      _// \\_    \\       (__) )(   )(  (__<<   >>  
 (__)  (__(__) (__(__)  (__(__)_)\_) (__)    (__) (__)  (__)          (__) (__)   (__) (__)


Non-extractive* software hosters



   ____   U _____ u   _     ____  __   __      _____  U  ___ u                 _   _   ____    _____     _      _      _      
U |  _"\ u\| ___"|U  /"\  u|  _"\ \ \ / /     |_ " _|  \/"_ \/         ___    | \ |"| / __"| u|_ " _|U  /"\  u |"|    |"|     
 \| |_) |/ |  _|"  \/ _ \//| | | | \ V /        | |    | | | |        |_"_|  <|  \| |<\___ \/   | |   \/ _ \/U | | uU | | u   
  |  _ <   | |___  / ___ \U| |_| |U_|"|_u      /| |.-,_| |_| |         | |   U| |\  |uu___) |  /| |\  / ___ \ \| |/__\| |/__  
  |_| \_\  |_____|/_/   \_\|____/ u |_|       u |_|U\_)-\___/        U/| |\u  |_| \_| |____/>>u |_|U /_/   \_\ |_____||_____| 
  //   \\_ <<   >> \\    >> |||_.-,//|(_      _// \\_    \\       .-,_|___|_,-||   \\,-)(  (___// \\_ \\    >> //  \\ //  \\  
 (__)  (__(__) (__(__)  (__(__)_)\_) (__)    (__) (__)  (__)       \_)-' '-(_/(_")  (_(__)   (__) (__(__)  (__(_")("_(_")("_)


Non-extractive* software

(would be nice to add personal experiences maybe another chapter?)


Self-hosting (with others)


   ____   U _____ u   _     ____  __   __      _____  U  ___ u    U _____ u_   _      _       U  ___ __   __ 
U |  _"\ u\| ___"|U  /"\  u|  _"\ \ \ / /     |_ " _|  \/"_ \/    \| ___"|| \ |"|  U |"| u     \/"_ \\ \ / / 
 \| |_) |/ |  _|"  \/ _ \//| | | | \ V /        | |    | | | |     |  _|"<|  \| |>_ \| |/      | | | |\ V /  
  |  _ <   | |___  / ___ \U| |_| |U_|"|_u      /| |.-,_| |_| |     | |___U| |\  || |_| |_,-.-,_| |_| U_|"|_u 
  |_| \_\  |_____|/_/   \_\|____/ u |_|       u |_|U\_)-\___/      |_____||_| \_| \___/-(_/ \_)-\___/  |_|   
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 (__)  (__(__) (__(__)  (__(__)_)\_) (__)    (__) (__)  (__)      (__) (__(_")  (_(__)          (__)\_) (__)


Alternative social networks


Microblogging

Macroblogging

Activist organising

Digital libraries



Non-extractive* software initatives and use examples




* Extractive software relies on a business model where the user produces economic value for the tech company in exchange for its free (free as in beer, not as in freedom) services (e.g.: Google, Facebook, Amazon, Instagram, et al). However, the exchange rate(?) is often disproportional and can have direct consequences for democracy, society and basic human rights(?), while generating profits in the order of the billions for the company (e.g.: US$40 billion (2017) for Facebook and US$110 billion (2017) for Google.)


   ____    U _____ u    _      ____   __   __      _____   U  ___ u       ____    U _____ u    _      ____    
U |  _"\ u \| ___"|/U  /"\  u |  _"\  \ \ / /     |_ " _|   \/"_ \/    U |  _"\ u \| ___"|/U  /"\  u |  _"\   
 \| |_) |/  |  _|"   \/ _ \/ /| | | |  \ V /        | |     | | | |     \| |_) |/  |  _|"   \/ _ \/ /| | | |  
  |  _ <    | |___   / ___ \ U| |_| |\U_|"|_u      /| |\.-,_| |_| |      |  _ <    | |___   / ___ \ U| |_| |\ 
  |_| \_\   |_____| /_/   \_\ |____/ u  |_|       u |_|U \_)-\___/       |_| \_\   |_____| /_/   \_\ |____/ u 
  //   \\_  <<   >>  \\    >>  |||_ .-,//|(_      _// \\_     \\         //   \\_  <<   >>  \\    >>  |||_    
 (__)  (__)(__) (__)(__)  (__)(__)_) \_) (__)    (__) (__)   (__)       (__)  (__)(__) (__)(__)  (__)(__)_)   


Statements, snippets, sharp quotes, good jokes

Framatalk statement (video chat service hosted by Framasoft) - https://framatalk.org/accueil/en/

A trans*feminist infrastructure implies... - https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DvC21LSXgAIMPtl.jpg

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Q's & multiple A's





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Reading list



Viewing list


Listening list



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Concrete political and institutional responses [welp, not sure yet how to title]




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      |_____|  v |_|v   |_| |_|  |_____|   |_| \_\   |_|    A/_/   \_\ |____/ v
       <<   >>  _// \\_  //   \\  <<   >>   //   \\_  ||>>_    \\    >>  |||_
       (_V_) (_A_)(_R_) (_I_)(_A_) ("_)(__) (__) (__)  (_P_)(_A_)_D_)  (__)  (__)


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