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Web Communities Respond to 9-11
Updated October 1, 2001Shortly after the terrorist attacks on the NY World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the crash in Pennsylvania, internet based email and web groups came alive with responses. Some simply became a place to connect and share feelings and information. Others became centers for response, like many of the victim/survivor location bulletin boards such as NY.com. Some online communities worked to activate or highlight coping and response resources. I know my "home" online interaction groups, the Online Facilitation List and the Well became critical connection points for me. Below are a collection of links pointing to or documenting online interaction responses to the Septebmer 11th event. Thanks to all who have emailed me links. Also, www.politicsonline.com has assembled an excellent (and well organized/formatted) analysis of the role of net response. They cover some important major themes that go far beyond "connection" noted here.
If you know of more examples, please email me and I'll add them to the list with my thanks. Right now I have not documented well some of the negative online group activities, nor the more global initiatives and repercussions. I would be very interested in any pointers on these issues. Please Note: Newest additions at the bottom. This, however, is NOT chronological... just added when links are identified. If anyone is interested in helping put this into a more useful form, please contact me. I've also started thinking about how we heal disrupted networks. See Healing Disrupted Networks NY TIMES - September 12 Web Becomes Global Support Forum AARP Discussion Board offers Place to Cope Techsoup Posts Assistance Sites Internet News article on the Value of Connection via the Net (and spam) Sept 14 - Rebecca Lieb Internet News - Sept 13 - Christopher Saunders - E-Mail Coalition Aims for Relief Effort Americans Share a Voice Online - FoxOnline - September 13 - Amy C. Sims Handling the Loads (detailed account of dealing with extraordinary website demand) - Slashdot ABC.Com viewer Response Message Board PBS Dedicated online boards on the attack for teen audiences USA Today Chats - Scroll down to Talk for transcripts of chats on coping Online Chat in Response to Attack - Washingtonpost.com - With James M. Lindsay, National Security Expert, Wednesday, Sept. 12 Life in Africa's Kampala offices provides free writing, translation, typing and email message posting services for community across the continent with something to say about the current global situation. (Nancy's note: notice the wonderful offline/online hybrid they are proposing.) Virtual Memorial, By students of the Univ. of Georgia From Online Community Report: New York Times: "Web Becomes Global Support Forum" News.com: "Online Chat Ranges From Hate to Sympathy" Salon.com: ""Purge Our Society," Online Bigots Shout" News.com: "Net Offers Lifeline Amid Tragedy" New York Times: "I.S.P.'s Curb Terrorist Postings and an Anti-Islamic Jeez, Mom, I’m OK! - TUNKU VARADARAJAN September 14, 2001 Communities Mobilize on the Web People Reach Out on the Net "Cortney Sellers" <cortney@cortneysellers.com> reports "At Oxygen Media, we set up boards and special chats to discuss the incident." Pew Internet research Report: How Americans Used the Internet After the Terror Attack 9/15/01 David Weinberger (of JOHO fame) reacts to the net during the crisis The Drumbeat, an international hub for communications for development, solicits diary entries for reactions to the WTC attack IAF has free downloadable materials for adults, children and facilitators dealing with/in crisis on the IAF website Healing 911 - stories and resources for healing...open to contributions Bluebarn Interactive offers free online spaces for affected organizations (via Basex email, but I don't see anything on their website. Anyone know?) RedCross mounts online effort to connect/register families of victims and "compassion board" A father's response to send his young daughter's ideas on what to do prompt a global collaboration and response 911network.org working to support those affected by the attack and to create a working platform to increase awareness and appreciation of other cultures through education programs and to increase timely response and rebuilding. Resource for teachers: Choices can contribute to help you raise the issues surrounding the recent tragedy in a constructive context and promote open dialogue about future policy direction among students. A campus discussion on the 9-11 attacks - multimedia files and discussion boards The Healing Quilt - a collaborative sewing project with support chats and discussion boards Streaming audio messages from leaders that include perspectives on how leaders can provide guidance and continuity to their organizations. Spirituality.com offers online support UK citizens experienced with terrorism offer advice to Americans. From BBC America Drumbeat Discussion Forum focus on WTC attacks. Subscribe at Connectforkids online discussion of next steps. An examples of MANY resource pages that have sprung up
Love Prevails - An invitation to participate in a worldwide experiment to create a peaceful planet. EBay's Auction for America (fundraiser) Added Sept 22 The Guardian, Catch the Last Post - "the net came into its own as millions went online for personal, rather than news-mediated, voices to connect with." (September 20, 2001) ZDNet - Net Helps People Connect in Distress C/Net - Net Offers Lifeline Amid Tragedy Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Email Indispensible as Phone Systems Jam (September 12, 2001) Wired - Trapped and Chatting In NYC - (September 12, 2001) NY Times - Web Offers Both News and Comfort(September 12, 2001) US News - Internet Reacts to America Under Attack - September 11, 2001 Sky News - International E-mails Communicate Depth of Shock at Attacks (September 11, 2001) Beliefnet provides a site to share prayers and understanding about religious issues related to the situation. Added Sept 23 American Liberty Partnership - a coalition of internet companies mobilizing in response to 9-11. No interaction besides giving, but pointers to other sites. Shine.com message board for teens in reaction/coping/action on 9-11 911 Network.org, started by the NRPA, LAP and Thinkquest to nurture dialog. Added Sept 24 Poetry community responds with comments and discussion. EDC starts the End-Terrorism list starting Sept 24 9-11 Peace.org - Another online location for peace initiatives Steven Clift's "The Net Response" describes ways people can use the net to respond to the 911 attacks
http://www.publicus.net/netresponse/Clift also posted
an analysis of the net's role in this crisis A public discussion group for sharing information on the terrorist attack on New York and DC. Over 1500 members and over 2300 posts already as of 9/24 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sept11info Seattle Community Networks hosts a peace coalition who is creating online connections to offline events. Moveon.org is mobilizing political action via listservs and web forums. Dallas News: WEBLOGS GIVE FAST MAN-IN-STREET REPORTS OF DISASTER Volunteermatch.org has devoted their front page to matching folks with attack-related needs. Added Sept 25 NY Times - Travelers Try Videoconferencing (Sept 24) - Companies replacing some F2F with videoconf and other online interaction methods. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/24/technology/24MEET.html Added Sept 26 Computer World - Avoiding travel, users turn to communications technology - Sept 24 EEOC website responds with anti discrimination resources IDEALIST sent out an email about 9-11 and received thousands of responses from around the globe. Individuals concerned with a wide range of voices start publishing pages collecting links from many places/views. Added October 1 The Journal of the Hyperlinked Organizations (JOHO) put out a special edition with an article on the first person news network LA Times - Larry Magid talks about videoconferencing and remote meetings in the post-attack world (Sept. 27) Basex offers free research reports for 30 days including "The Community Factor" and "From Toy to Tool (registration required) Wesleyan set up a webpage for alum to check in post attack 50 Ways to Diffuse a World Crisis - Sebastian Mendler Business 2.0 - Importance of connection. - Sept 26 Business 2.0 -Right Now, the Only Capital That Matters Is Social Capital - - Sept 26 The Internet Emerges as the Most Reliable Way to Communicate - Sept 27 Feminist Majority launches a new website on issues about Afghani women at Silicon Alley News: Senator Calls for National IT Guard - Sept 27 Linkages launches a site to address what organizations must do in a world "changed by terrorism" Sept 26 Geocaching had 3 geocaches, 1 for a lighting a candle, one for donating blood, one for donating to the Red Cross and one forum topic was a virtual moment of silence, where people just replied, no text. Whyproject.org collects artists responses to 9-11 The UCLA School Mental Health Project convenes a forum for school personnel to help kids cope
More infor for coping with kids with multiple language resources. The text is available online in English, Chinese, Farsi, Arabic, Urdu, Vietnamese and Spanish. Elayne Zalis has compiled a list of memorials and remembrances related to the events of September 11, 2001. So far, categories include: Assorted Contributions, Online Diaries, Web Rings, and Media-Supported Forums. And thousands and thousands of messages on countless listservs. I've observed increased traffic on the Open Space list, some thoughtful posts on the Group Facilitation list, Com-prac, Community_Managers_Hosts and many others. Nancy White
Full Circle Associates |