“What can I do to prevent the digital land-grab?” Nothing? No, lots.

Typed with a slightly dodgy keyboard into Arcturus at JISC Managing Research Data Meeting

[I’m at a 2-day meeting run by Simon Hodson of JISC on Managing Research Data – it’s a good meeting with about 12 JISC projects represented and epitomises how JISC funds a wide range of activities which are designed to test out new infrastructures, develop new tools and protocols, collect key info etc. I have been impressed by the presentations. #jiscmrd. But that’s not what I’m blogging about.]

In the bar and dinner I ranted on about the increasing power of commercial organizations in grabbing our digital outputs from academia and more generally the cultural commons. I believe that funded academic research is worth about 500billion USD – I can’t get an accurate figure – and that much of this is being grabbed in a digital gold rush. Is this scaremongering? I don’t think so, if we look at the signs. The dissemination of this information is not under the control of the institutions – much is under the control of income-driven publishers for “full-text” .

I am using DRM as an example in this post but it could apply to many other restrictions. I am appalled to see the widespread use of Digital Rights Management technology on academic output – this could easily become the norm, just in the way that video cameras in our streets and everywhere else are the norm. It may be possible to make a case for DRM (I have an open mind), but this case has not been made. We are hearing about data management and exposure. If we don’t get this right we shall lose another slice of the digital commons.

The common response when I ask about the restriction of access to knowledge is “I can’t do anything. It’s the fault of the academics/library/vice-chancellors/publishers [strike out the one you belong to].” But in the Internet age everyone can do something. It may be small but it’s critical. So here are steps to change the world in the digital age:

1. Care passionately. I find that few people appear to care about the encroaching digital grab. If you don’t care, then you can’t do anything. Practice caring, each day. Try reading a one-page outline of DRM in academia : http://www.openrightsgroup.org/ourwork/speeches/google-books-hearing
2. Tell the world. If we don’t know what the problems are, then we can’t do anything about them. Alert us to the next restriction to knowledge. You can do this anonymously. If anyone mails me or my blog I won’t reveal names.
3. Find other like-minded people. In the Internet age this is easy. Just type “digital rights management in academia” into Google and you’ll find the openrights group.

That’s a simple start. We’re not asking for heroes. No-one (yet) has been sacked for raising issues like DRM.

If you care more passionately you can do something. Here are some simple things:

• (perhaps jointly) Write a responsible, well-argued position paper. What are the effects of DRM? Clearly argued cases are worth more than rants
• Bring it up within your organization. This takes courage. If you don’t have the right balance of passion/courage, don’t do it.
• Bring it up externally. This takes courage. If you don’t have the right balance of passion/courage, don’t do it.
• Find the facts. Public bodies in UK are governed by FOI. It’s their legal duty to reply. Again it takes courage. If you don’t have enough of this, I’ll do it on your behalf (which I am currently doing for 2 “deepthroats”).
• Write to your MP or MEP. This is your right, and many believe, your duty. The MySociety tools are superb.
• Create alternative information tools. A classic example of this is openstreetmap.org . One person’s passion has been transformed into a gut-wrenching superb resource by hundreds of thousands of volunteers. Rather than complaining that map data is owned by X, Y, Z and we can’t do anything, go out and create 0.0001% or Open streemap. And it’s healthy. Of course it’s not easy to spot the opportunities, but they are there. OKF has created Open Shakespeare. We could, by volunteer activity, pull zillions of books out of copyright into digital form. If you want to make it happen it can.

Women in the UK have the vote. That’s partly because people like my grandmother campaigned for the vote. Uncomfortable, and some went to prison. But that is how freedom is won. In the Internet age the battle is different and so are the weapons.

Just care enough!