flâneur

Field Notes 1: Online Formations — rafa

rafa.mirror.xyz · 1,648 words · saved by 1 readers

Welcome to the first public update from the Summer of Protocols program. Over the past few weeks I’ve been reading about how people gather online, trying to tease out a clear definition of a Swarm. No such luck so far, but hopefully getting closer. The internet is a dark forest; there are odd creatures emerging from the fold. Some of these creatures are lone and silent travelers, like the lurker. Others travel in packs, and cooperate, sometimes consciously and other times dubiously. When their actions create harmonies or dissonance, Online Formations emerge. Depending on the protocols that shape their behaviors, they could be Fandoms, Online Communities, or something else. Interestingly, it seems these Formations are not built from individuals, but from actions that coalesce through active intention or algorithmic pressure. Let’s review the most common ones and understand them better. Social Protocols are a codified set of procedures that we perform. To uncover Social Protocols online,

Welcome to the first public update from the Summer of Protocols program. Over the past few weeks I’ve been reading about how people gather online, trying to tease out a clear definition of a Swarm. No such luck so far, but hopefully getting closer. Introduction The internet is a dark forest; there are odd creatures emerging from the fold. Some of these creatures are lone and silent travelers, like the lurker. Others travel in packs, and cooperate, sometimes consciously and other times dubiously. When their actions create harmonies or dissonance, Online Formations emerge. Depending on the proto

related reading