Long Live the Independent Web

I'm a big believer in an independent and open web. I have concerns about content and code being owned by corporations and living behind walled, closed gardens. I worry over filter bubbles and corporate entities determining what we consume. I'm fearful over the narrowing of true journalism and the movement of journalism as entertainment and clicks rather than news.

Not to open a can of worms, but there's no greater example of this than the recent headlines surrounding the proliferation of fake news and its effect on the election. I believe there has never been unbiased, non-manipulated, non-agenda news. Propaganda and corporate/government/personal agendas are nothing new. What's changed is how quickly content is syndicated and surfaced to millions and millions of (often unsuspecting) people.

But I digress.

Reaction Commerce is centered on open source technologies. We firmly believe that open standards will prevail, and that closed platforms can’t compete in the long term with open platforms. Closed societies and closed systems are inherently challenged in that they operate under agendas that can't benefit or satisfy the majority.

I recently came across the Publish (on your) Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere (POSSE) concept from the IndieWeb movement. One of the reasons why I've rekindled this blog, is because I feel it's critical that I own my own content. The IndieWeb site says it best: "The IndieWeb is a people-focused alternative to the corporate web."

Long live the independent web.