A Forum to Reexamine Offline Networks

August 25-26, 2017
10am-5pm

Brown Institute
Pulitzer Hall, Columbia University
2950 Broadway
New York, NY 10027

Confirmed Speakers
Nathan Freitas, The Guardian Project
Hans-Christoph Steiner, The Guardian Project
Eileen Guo, Journalist
Charles Berret, Columbia Journalism School
Pablo Arcuri, Internews
Gal Beckerman, New York Times Book Review
Greta Byrum & Raul Enriquez, New America Foundation
Felix Candelario, Amazon
Juanita Ceballos, Jika Gonzalez & Dave Mayers, VICE
Jason Griffey, Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society
Harlo Holmes, Freedom of the Press Foundation
Ellie Irons, Artist & Educator
Simin Kargar & Mehdi Yahyanejad, NetFreedom Pioneers
Dia Kayyali, WITNESS
Josh King, Commotion Wireless
Zach Mandeville & Dominic Tarr, Scuttlebutt
Susan McGregor, Columbia Journalism School
Deji Olukotun, Access Now
Dan Phiffer, Mapzen
Edwin Reed-Sanchez, SayCel
Soudeh Rad, Spectrum
Afsaneh Rigot, Article 19
Eleanor Saitta, dymaxion.org
James Warnock, Human Rights Foundation
Carrie Winfrey, Okthanks

The Internet has grown so omnipresent today that it's easy to overlook the continuing role of "offline networks," systems for exchanging digital information that bypass the Internet. "Sneakernets" (by which we mean any kind of offline networking, a slight abuse of the terminology) take many forms, whether it's a thumb drive passed between friends or a semi-trailer truck full of hard drives delivered to a server farm, or games played over a private network. Sneakernets form countless links in our digital infrastructure, but nevertheless tend to pass unnoticed in favor of a totalized, global Internet. The purpose of Sneakercon is to reexamine the offline side of the digital age by foregrounding the prevalence, variety, and uses of offline networks during two days of talks, discussion panels, and workshops.

Sneakernets serve many purposes: to overcome transmission limits, to circumvent surveillance, to foster community, or simply for convenience. Companies like Google and Amazon have found that massive collections of data sometimes travel more quickly by physically moving hard drives from place to place. A whistleblower may decide that delivering a tranche of data to a reporter through the postal service would pose fewer risks than contacting them electronically. Meshnets may provide communications in times of crisis or upheaval, when online network infrastructure may be damaged by severe weather or shut off by the authorities. Even when friends or coworkers share files in person, they may casually opt for some offline method despite the ready availability of the Internet.

Studying unique sneakernets around the world can reveal the complexity and variety of information ecosystems in different cultures, subcultures, movements, and communities. Before the Internet was widely available in Cuba, a static, offline slice of the Web called El Paquete was regularly downloaded in Spain, transported to Havana, and then transmitted through a network of dedicated readers who shared each new edition by copying it in person from drive to drive. During the 'Umbrella Revolution' in Hong Kong, students coordinated their protest using a mesh network rather than risk using centralized communications infrastructure. In Afghanistan, some people create a custom ringtone and share it only with friends and allies, then the tone is treated as evidence of their social connection when they encounter mutual acquaintances.

Even some historical, non-digital sneakernets could be considered precursors of alternative information networks in use today. The SecureDrop anonymous whistleblowing platform was originally called 'Dead Drop' in reference to hidden locations where spies could exchange parcels without having to meet in person. Similarly, in the USSR, where publishing was strictly controlled by censors, dissident writers organized underground newspapers called samizdat that both collected articles and distributed each issue in a hand-to-hand, no-questions-asked network so that the route to the publishers could not be retraced by investigators. As a model of anonymous information exchange, this bears a striking resemblance to onion routing, the system that secures web traffic over the Tor browser via a network of nodes with strictly limited knowledge of one another. These precursors and parallels highlight that even online systems may take on certain qualities of a sneakernet in the interest of security, privacy, or anonymity.

The inaugural Sneakercon will convene on August 25-26, 2017, at Columbia's Brown Institute for Media Innovation. Our audience of journalists, academics, developers, activists, and artists will collectively learn how to notice, measure, map, and otherwise make sense of an offline network -- while bearing in mind the potential risks and ethical concerns that may arise when you observe or enter into these communities.

Confirmed Speakers
Nathan Freitas, The Guardian Project
Hans-Christoph Steiner, The Guardian Project
Eileen Guo, Journalist
Charles Berret, Columbia Journalism School
Pablo Arcuri, Internews
Gal Beckerman, New York Times Book Review
Greta Byrum & Raul Enriquez, New America Foundation
Felix Candelario, Amazon
Juanita Ceballos, Jika Gonzalez & Dave Mayers, VICE
Jason Griffey, Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society
Harlo Holmes, Freedom of the Press Foundation
Ellie Irons, Artist & Educator
Simin Kargar & Mehdi Yahyanejad, NetFreedom Pioneers
Dia Kayyali, WITNESS
Josh King, Commotion Wireless
Zach Mandeville & Dominic Tarr, Scuttlebutt
Susan McGregor, Columbia Journalism School
Deji Olukotun, Access Now
Dan Phiffer, Mapzen
Edwin Reed-Sanchez, SayCel
Soudeh Rad, Spectrum
Afsaneh Rigot, Article 19
Eleanor Saitta, dymaxion.org
James Warnock, Human Rights Foundation
Carrie Winfrey, Okthanks

Keynote talks by Nathan Freitas and Hans-Christoph Steiner of The Guardian Project will highlight the political and social stakes of sneakernets today. Lectures and panel discussions will provide a forum for experts to discuss the significance of different case studies and highlight both the challenges and the promise of offline networks. Finally, a series of workshops will allow the audience to focus on the specific technical, journalistic, ethical, or practical aspects of sneakernets that interest them most.

RSVP
To register to attend Sneakercon 2017, please go to brwn.co/sc17 and use the password 'Sneakercon17' when prompted.

Workshop Code of Conduct

All attendees, speakers, sponsors and volunteers at our conference are required to agree with the following code of conduct. Organisers will enforce this code throughout the event. We expect cooperation from all participants to help ensure a safe environment for everybody.

Need Help?

Contact one of the conference organizers - Mark Hansen, Eileen Guo, Nathan Freitas and Hans-Christof Steiner

The Quick Version

Our conference is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any conference venue, including talks, workshops, parties, Twitter and other online media. Conference participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference without a refund at the discretion of the conference organisers.

The Less Quick Version

Harassment includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.

Sponsors are also subject to the anti-harassment policy. In particular, sponsors should not use sexualised images, activities, or other material. Booth staff (including volunteers) should not use sexualised clothing/uniforms/costumes, or otherwise create a sexualised environment.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the conference organisers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the conference with no refund.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of conference staff immediately. Conference staff can be identified as they'll be wearing branded clothing and/or badges.

Conference staff will be happy to help participants contact hotel/venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the conference. We value your attendance.

We expect participants to follow these rules at conference and workshop venues and conference-related social events.

Adapted from http://github.com/leftlogic/confcodeofconduct.com