Software Counter-Democracy

How our tools design our dissent

Harrison Massey | Spring 2013

Who performs counter-democracy?

What performs counter-democracy?

Three forms

  1. Oversight
  2. Prevention
  3. Judgment

Three forms

  1. Judgment
  2. Prevention
  3. Oversight

Judgment

Source: https://www.torproject.org/about/overview

Judgment

Source: https://www.torproject.org/about/overview

Judgment

Source: https://www.torproject.org/about/overview

Prevention

Source: http://blog.spiderlabs.com/2011/01/loic-ddos-analysis-and-detection.html

Prevention

Source: http://www.bgcnec.org/jsloic.html

Oversight

Source: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/08/drone-app/

Oversight

Source: http://vimeo.com/47976409

What performs counter-democracy?

Users perform counter-democracy

Users perform counter-democracy within the bounds and alongside the messages provided by their tools