DLTQ.org

Some time ago I purchased J.D. Lasica’s book “Darknet: Hollywood’s War against the Digital Generation”. I am currently reading it, and it is one of the books I will cover here on DLTQ.

According to Wikipedia, a Darknet is “a private virtual network where users connect only to people they trust.”

The wikipedia article refers to ‘lightnet’, and also touches upon several other issues. Of course, Lasica’s book is more comprehensive and it asks some important questions about the future of ‘the digital generation’.

I will go more into detail in Lasica’s book later, but for now the question is: Do we need darknets in the vlogosphere? Do we need it in a situation where whatever I publish on a blog, especially if it is hosted on Blip.tv it seems, might get used for commercial reasons by Myheavy or whatever other new Youtube-wannabe company that is out to get some content for their advertisers.

I have not checked out spinxpress in a long time, but I am interested in how that would work as one example of a closed-circuit network. Have you tried out spinxpress? How does it work for you? I will try out the new spinxpress 2 version sometime this week.

Myself, I generally believe more in lightnets. Of information being spread without walled gardens and gatekeepers.

Lightnet are like open source software where anyone is invited to participate where the darknets are more like the proprietary systems regulated by invitation and social networks. Of course, on Kazaa, any teenage fool could get on and download the latest Britney Spears, but I am talking about real darknets; the small, tight-knit groups that work largely on trust.

It will be interesting to see how the different networks develop, and how the mainstream media as well as individuals will meet the challenges ahead.

If you, in the spirit of free information, let information loose that others then abuse, how often would you then deep inside feel a wish that you could - after all - somehow control the flow of information?