Small technology
The start of a new year feels like a great time to think about the kind of web we’d like to build going forward.
One vision I’m particularly fond of is the Small Technology movement, started by Laura Kalbag and Aral Balkan.
Small Technology are everyday tools for everyday people designed to increase human welfare, not corporate profits. Small Tech is…
- easy to use
- personal
- private by default
- share alike
- peer to peer
- interoperable
- zero knowledge
- non-commercial
- non-colonial
- inclusive
The Small Technology website digs into more detail on each of these
For example, here’s how Laura and Aral describe “private by default”…
A tool respects your privacy only if it is private by default. Privacy is not an option. You do not opt into it. Privacy is the right to choose what you keep to yourself and what you share with others. “Private” (i.e., for you alone) is the default state of small technologies. From there, you can always choose who else you want to share things with.
If you’re looking to feel inspired about what you build in 2020, this is a great place to start!