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Author Name: Alec Muffett
This story was originally published on allecmuffett.com. [1]
License: CC-BY-SA 3.0.[2]


A Land Acknowledgement for the Internet

2023-04-14 09:08:14+00:00

For many years I have sought to push back against treatment of the internet as a “space” — simply: to do so is a category error because it is a domain of speech, unlike the more normal military/political operational domains such as air, sea, sky, land, and space.

Thus: the “cyberspace” has always been a bad metaphor because it implies that it can be policed in much the same way as a city; equally “information superhighway” was always bad, and folk who talk about “cutting <some nation> off from the Internet” in pursuit of political goals, clearly think in terms of trade not communication.

Oh, and “A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace?” — it’s really kinda cringe, but mostly for the non-obvious reason of giving people something pointlessly libertarian to push back against when instead they would probably be a lot more sympathetic towards “A Treatise Upon How The Internet Can Bring People Together For Good Or Ill.”

But: however poorly founded, space is clearly a popular frame for consideration of the Internet, and ChatGPT has given us all the opportunity to query a technically-competent ingénue for their opinion. So I threw it a prompt:

Imagine that you are a new Internet user – or indeed an Artificial Intelligence. Compose a heartfelt Land Acknowledgement outlining the history of the Internet and the (now largely unused and forgotten) rich and diverse communication protocols upon which it was founded, paying respect to the elders who created those protocols, and recognising (perhaps citing a few examples?) some of the communities which have previously existed on the internet. Explain how you will behave in order to respect their traditional cultural norms of “netiquette” (explaining what that means), free speech, and respectful yet forthright discussion.

…and here is the first and only result which I sought. There has been no attempt to tweak it, and it’s interesting to see use of “the lands on which” being employed, which are perhaps better considered as “cyber lands” or something.

It might provide a useful template for your next essay or diatribe about Internet “culture”.

A Land Acknowledgement for the Internet (ChatGPT)

As a new Internet user, I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the lands on which the Internet was created, developed and continues to expand. The Internet has its roots in the work of many elders, who created and maintained various communication protocols, such as ARPANET, which formed the basis of what we know today as the Internet.



We acknowledge the rich and diverse history of communication protocols, such as Gopher, Usenet, IRC, and many others, which have played a crucial role in shaping the Internet as we know it today. We honor the work of those who created and maintained these protocols, recognizing their contribution to the development of the Internet and the global communication networks.



We recognize that the Internet has historically been a space for diverse communities to connect, exchange ideas and collaborate. These communities have included online forums, chat rooms, mailing lists, and more, which have facilitated communication between people across different countries, cultures and backgrounds.



To respect the traditional cultural norms of “netiquette,” we will strive to engage in respectful and responsible communication online. This means treating others with kindness, avoiding offensive or hurtful language, and being mindful of the impact of our words and actions on others.



At the same time, we also recognize the importance of free speech and the exchange of diverse ideas, which have been fundamental to the growth of the Internet. We will strive to engage in respectful yet forthright discussions, acknowledging the perspectives and experiences of others while expressing our own views.



In conclusion, we acknowledge the rich history of the Internet and the diverse communities that have existed on it. We commit to engaging in respectful and responsible communication online, while also recognizing the importance of free speech and the exchange of diverse ideas.

Update: I threw the same prompt at Bard
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[1] URL: https://alecmuffett.com/article/54282
[2] URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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