Knitting Our Internet is a face-to-face workshop about the Internet. It consists of an interactive journey through its history and a collective rethinking of its future.
The lab provides tangible examples on how the Internet actually works, questioning the very essence of today’s mainstream social networks. Its main purpose is to expose the critical limits of surveillance capitalism, centralization, and its environmental impact.
After aknowledging the challenges the digital domain is currently facing, participants are encouraged to reinterpret social networks starting from decentralization, envisioning more human, collective, and participatory digital futures.
This workshop is conceived to happen exclusively in person: this website only contains information about it.
You are welcome to invite me (Tommi, the creator) to host the workshop and bring a personal touch to it! Otherwise, I produced The Weaver Kit, which contains all the materials and information to help you in hosting the workshop yourself.
During the first semester of 2023, while writing my bachelor’s thesis, I got an idea for a simple yet critical and accurate introduction the Fediverse to non-experts. Enriched by the research for his thesis, the content and structure of the workshop changed and matured over time, adapting to very diverse publics of any age and background.
In June 2024, after having hosted the workshop in many occasions I decided to deepen my work on Knitting Our Internet, also involving some friends to give it a visual identity, a better structure, and publish its website—the one you are reading right now.
It is not merely rhethorical: this workshop is truly for everyone! This workshop was concieved to adapt to any public and environment, by design.
The look of everything that is related to the workshop follows a visual identity that tries to communicate the vibe of the experience, while having a meaning by itself.
I talked a lot with Sole, Karthik, and Veronica about how to represent coziness and cuteness in a very nerd, techy, and pixelated way, and I came up with this. Learn more by reading the visual identity guidelines below.
Athens – 01 Dec 2024
Bolzano – 08 Nov 2024
xHain, Berlin – 26 Oct 2024
Làbas Bologna – 17 May 2024
Monte San Vito (AN) – 04 May 2024
Fano (AN) – 10 Mar 2024
Sanremo – 20 Oct 2023
MayDay Rooms, London – 06 Oct 2023
Sanremo – 27 Aug 2023
Oriago di Mira (VE) – 11 Jun 2023
As a proudly independent project Knitting Our Internet is meant to be collective and collaborative. Not only contributions are welcome, but they are the essence of this workshop!
The best possible thing you can do is to invite me to host the workshop, or to host it yourself!
Every detail of Knitting Our Internet costed a lot of work.
At the moment, I have no funding whatsoever: all the expenses I face come out of my pockets. Even though I definitely do not do this for profit (I hate capitalism), it would help a lot if you could chip in with a donation you can afford.
Possible ways to do it (sorted by preference):
4AXFHU3h1GDGVr5nfnyngmSepfesyUJxCSXNH2JzFeBGbGxzzoMuhSCBDVf3THK1E5VnfLLm2hfgV3YosYd27ZFLMCVNUrPEven though I did a lot of research, there is always a lot to learn, and I am very open to question my stances.
If you have any critiques, ideas, or suggestions, open an issue or write me!
I absolutely am not a Web development master…
If you think you can help me with the workflow or with the technical infrastructure of this website, please do not hesitate to open a pull request on Codeberg or on GitHub! The source code is open for you to play with!
Translate the content of this website and the workshop materials to enable non English speakers to get involved!
Our mission is not merely to take back control of Our Internet. I believe in the strong value of art to convey and amplify a message and a mission.
You are welcome to realize any artwork 😎! Feel free to create stickers, paint posters, improve the CSS of this website, create flyers… you name it.
Make our voices heard and reclaim Our Internet! Share ournet.rocks and join our fight!
It would be particularly meaningful if you knew anyone organizing events or actively participating in communities that would be interested in hosting the workshop. Connect us!
When considering the idea of involving other people and ask for their time and effort, I did not want to do so for the sake of friendship only, but at the same time I do not have the funds to pay their work either.
For these reasons, this whole project is brought forward on the principles of mutual aid and personal curiosity.
If you are interested in learning more, read the introductory email I sent to the first people he invited to collaborate.