In my last writing about The Gentrified Web I spent too much time establishing that I am old. The writing sounded like I was saying that the web was better when it resembled New York City in a Charles Bronson film. I also didn’t write that much about why web gentrification is bad.

The thing about gentrification in the real world is that it displaces existing communities (often low income communities) in order to create financial opportunities for investors. On the web, sites like Google and Facebook stifle diverse voices and keep the flow of information under corporate control. It’s the digital version of those dystopian fictions where everyone lives in coffin-capsules and wears the same jumpsuit and eats the same depressing food.

Selfhosting fights web gentrification by building decentralized platforms that are community driven, bringing the web back to its root in diverse voices. I know that this can sound a bit like Elon Musk’s version of free speech, but community is the distinction. A community that establishes what is and is not acceptible, what is and is not permitted, and what does or does not need to be censored. If that sounds like chaos, well, it is.

Speaking of dystopian fiction, there is a revolutionary component to this as well. A technology stack that is open source, self-hosted, and community driven is a tool of revolution. Like the Soviet AK-47, an accessible and impactful tool in the hands of revolutionaries can help regular poeple throw off the chains of corporate control.

This is starting to sound like violent rhetoric#

With great power comes great responsibility.

I am advocating for the use of independent platforms as tools to educate and to find common ground. The AK47 is a symbol of revolution, a metaphor. Countries like Zimbabwe and Mozambique have the AK on their flags and coats of arms to show how their country has been reborn through revolutionary struggle. As a U.S. Army veteran, I am familiar with the destruction that an actual gun can cause. I am not a fan. What I am talking about with self-hosted platforms is a digital tool for a digital revolution.

Like the metaphorical firearm, gentrified web can also be a tool for violent oppression. There are countless stories about violent attacks on various marginalized groups resulting from fake news or conspiracy theories. I am also not a fan those either. I see this rhetoric creeping into the national discourse and it is frustrating to say the least. I can see transphobic talking points from the KKK showing up in political ads on TV. The presidential debate featured lies about Haitian immingrants. It’s sickening.

So with the power to build platforms comes the responsibility to educate. To not just inspire people to take action, but to educate them on the ethics and societal issues that surround their actions. So, if you are a tech-type that can build infrastructure, keep in mind that a lot of work goes into understanding issues. It’s ok to partner with an activist or scholar if you are not up to the task.