Access to the web and its free flow of information is I believe not only healthy for personal development but societal development as well. Tools such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google have been seen as instrumental in transformations we have seen throughout the world (i.e. Arab Spring). Even still, they are still owned by corporations and maintain a corporate interest. When I look at the positive role that non-profit foundations have had in developing essential tools for accessing computers and the web (i.e. Wikimedia Foundation: information, the Ubuntu Foundation: operating system, Mozilla Foundation, browser), I can't help but believe that a foundation or non-profit whose aim is to provide and support a set of social web services like Twitter or Facebook or even Gmail, could be beneficial to the world.
Web services cost money and often OSS contributions are not enough to drive user adoption and especially support server systems. While I applaud App.net they too are ultimately a company. A foundation could adopt Identi.ca or perhaps start from scratch and build a robust, and privacy aware, social platform that could become and remain a basic right for internet users.
Is this thought I'm having a good one and something people would be interested in? If so, KickStarter campaigns and awareness could be developed. Looking for some validation on the thought first.
Web services cost money and often OSS contributions are not enough to drive user adoption and especially support server systems. While I applaud App.net they too are ultimately a company. A foundation could adopt Identi.ca or perhaps start from scratch and build a robust, and privacy aware, social platform that could become and remain a basic right for internet users.
Is this thought I'm having a good one and something people would be interested in? If so, KickStarter campaigns and awareness could be developed. Looking for some validation on the thought first.