While Free Software and open source software (FOSS) are perhaps some of the oldest examples, free culture is a movement that has taken many forms. Creative Commons licenses have helped simultaneously make descriptions easier to understand and codify in detail the legal sharing of creative works like writing, pictures and video. This has been exemplified by FOSS licenses for years relating to software code. These licenses work within existing copyright law to specifically grant some rights to allow legal reuse. Text shared as blogs were an early expression of our need to share our writing quickly and easily. Video sharing sites like youtube, picture sharing sites like flickr and music sharing sites like Jamendo all provide user generated content to their users. Social media sites like twitter and facebook now serve similar purposes. The content users provide are the key attraction of social media.
Do it yourself DIY tech, hackerspaces like Noisebridge in SF, even the arab spring and occupy movements can also be seen as furthering the expression of people’s desire for transparency and a collaborative partnership using digital and other mediums. Please share some comments below.
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