CC Global Summit to Promote Open Access and Better Sharing
More than a thousand educators, lawyers and tech experts from over 65 countries will come together this week for a global summit to promote open access and better sharing of research and resources.
Creative Commons, the US-based global non-profit organization behind free copyright licenses, is hosting the event to develop solutions for the post-Covid world.
With keynote speakers from the US, UK, Taiwan, Brazil, Kenya and India, the virtual summit will address how to increase access to valuable information, historic images, scientific articles, educational resources, cultural artifacts, and more.
“The CC global summit is bringing together leading activists, advocates, librarians, educators, lawyers, technologists and more from all over the world to promote open access and better sharing.”
Creative Commons, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, has established the goal of putting the tools to share and reshare content in the hands of everyone, everywhere.
It has set a target of raising $15 million USD by the end of next year to free knowledge and culture around the world.
The organization has powered a global movement spanning 86 countries, developing and stewarding legal tools and licenses.
CC licenses remove legal and technical obstacles, so far unlocking nearly 2 billion works around the world across 9 million websites, to enable the global sharing of knowledge and creativity.
Since 2009, all Wikipedia content, in every language, has been published under CC license.
The virtual summit, which runs until September 24 and has a pay-what-you-can registration policy, will be addressed by Creative Commons founder Lawrence Lessig, the Roy L. Furman Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, Audrey Tang, the digital minister of Taiwan, and the UK-based CEO of Creative Commons, Catherine Stihler – former MEP for Scotland.
A few words from Catherine Stihler, CEO of Creative Commons:
“The CC global summit is bringing together leading activists, advocates, librarians, educators, lawyers, technologists and more from all over the world to promote open access and better sharing.
The Covid pandemic means that our theme of ‘better sharing’ resonates now more than ever.
Greater access to information means a stronger global community, more innovation, and increased capacity to solve the key challenges the world faces today.
We’re eager to put the tools to share and reshare content in the hands of everyone, everywhere, and our $15m fundraising campaign will ensure that Creative Commons can continue advocating for open access to knowledge for years to come.”
More information on the CC global summit is available here: https://summit.creativecommons.org/
Meet the CC Summit Presenter: Ebenezar Wikina
Next up in our ‘Meet the CC Summit Presenter’ series, we sit down with Ebenezar Wikina. Ebenezar is the founder of Policy Shapers, the world’s first open source platform for policy ideas led by young people. He also currently serves as Advocacy Program Coordinator at PIND Foundation, a corporate social initiative of Chevron Corporation. Ebenezar sits on the British Council’s UK-Africa New Narratives Youth Advisory Board, where he represents West Africa, and the Board of Trustees of the Sickle Cell Awareness and Health Foundation. He is a senior category judge of the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools, and International Judge of the Association for International Broadcasting Awards (AIBs) based in London. Ebenezar is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network, the G20 Civil Society Working Group on Education, the Open Government Youth Collective, and the Internet Society. He had previously worked as a policy volunteer at the United States Congress, Guest Lecturer at Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Technical team member at the Rivers State Government SDGs office, and TEDx Organizer. This extensive work has earned him several awards and recognition, including the first-ever Soundcity MVP Award for Community Development, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group Bridge Fellowship, the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Future News Worldwide, the Global Investigative Journalism Network fellowship, the inaugural list of 100 most influential young Nigerians, to mention a few. Ebenezar is an alumnus of the London School of Journalism, Harvard Kennedy School, and the Stanford Centre for Professional Development.
Based in ? : Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Summit session: How Open Data can Drive Transparency and Transformation in Virtual Universities
How did you get involved with Creative Commons?
I had always known about CC’s licenses since I started blogging in 2009. However, last year while I was building the Policy Shapers website, an open source platform for policy ideas, with my team, I got a chance to learn more about each license and the great work done by Commoners around the world.
How many times have you been to CC Global Summit?
This is my first time
In the future, what is something you would like to see at CC Summit?
CC already has a great line up of youth speakers, and I would love that to continue moving forward, especially young keynote speakers.
“To ensure that the internet is useful and dynamic for future generations, I believe we must continue to advocate for open collaboration and sharing.”
Why are you an advocate for Open?
I believe that all of what we enjoy today on the internet is a result of the open internet model. To ensure that the internet is useful and dynamic for future generations, I believe we must continue to advocate for open collaboration and sharing. The pandemic has shown us that in moving forward, we cannot achieve success or immunity on our own. When we openly share, we can do more and we can go far together.
What is the best part of what you do? What is the most difficult part of what you do?
The best part is that we are inspiring the next generation of policymakers and equipping them with the knowledge needed to reach their full potential. Through our work at Policy Shapers, we are also contributing to the intensity of the open movement.
The most difficult part is that all of us on the team already have 9-5 engagements. Some of us are doing our Master’s, one person is doing a PhD, and we all have other jobs. It can be so difficult pulling everyone together at the same time, knowing fully well that we are volunteering for the cause, and Policy Shapers cannot afford to pay any of us a salary yet. However, we keep pushing ourselves and finding ways to make it work.
What is your favorite GIF?
via GIPHY
What tool/platform/app are you loving right now? Why?
I know this makes me sound ancient, but I am really enjoying Slack right now for the first time ever. I used to find it very complicated in the past but it makes a lot of sense now.
What’s one new trend that you think the CC community should look out for?
I am currently studying a relatively ‘new’ field of science called Biomimicry, under a scholarship from Learn Biomimicry based in South Africa. The field looks at nature as a model for solving human problems, knowing that nature has existed longer than all human civilizations, and thus has already dealt with the challenges we are struggling to solve today.
Recently stumbled on an expose about the Internet of the Forest (aka the Wood Wide Web). I find it very cool because we can see how everything is connected in the forest, and how the concept of open sharing and trust is better exhibited in nature, especially in the confines of the forest.
What is the biggest setback you have experienced? How did you overcome it?
Finance and funding to carry out projects have continued to be a major setback or challenge I have experienced in my work so far. To overcome this, I continue to save a lot and deny myself of certain ‘pleasures’ in a bid to raise funds for our projects and activities. I also continue to apply for grants, fellowships, and other opportunities that give me and my team the chance to advance our work.
If you could only leave people with one message from your summit presentation, what would it be?
Virtual learning has come to stay. To co-create this evolving mode of learning, it is important for institutions and learners to work together and open up data sets that can help increase understanding of learning outcomes in this era.
What was the best career advice you ever received? What was the worst career advice you ever received?
Best – Don’t wait to finish school before your life starts. It has already started. This came at a time when I was rewriting the University Matriculation examination in Nigeria, trying to secure admission into the university. That advice made a world of difference, because it is the reason I started to write on the internet back in 2009, rather than waiting to graduate from school before practicing.
Worst – Don’t think about money. So I call this advice the worst, because as good as it sounds, I have learned from experience that even though you should not make money your sole motivating factor, it is important to always have a financial plan. Money is the fuel of society, and if you never think about it, you’d sooner or later hit a roadblock.
What would you like to say to Creative Commons on our 20th anniversary?
Thank you for the amazing work. Posterity will surely be grateful to you, because your work is the lifeblood of the internet and its future.
What does ‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ mean to you?
It means that as we continue to find better ways to share ideas, products and solutions on the internet, we’d directly be working towards a brighter future for ourselves and generations to come.
Join us from wherever you are from 20-24 September for the 2021 CC Global Summit as we explore the latest developments in the Open Movement, celebrate 20 years of Creative Commons, and consider what the future of Open holds. Register here >>
Meet the CC Summit Presenter: Deborah De Angelis
Photo courtesy of Deborah De Angelis
Our next ‘Meet the CC Summit Presenter’ Q&A features Italian Attorney-at-law and the Lead and Representative of the Italian Chapter of the Creative Commons Global Network, Deborah De Angelis. Deborah is a legal expert in copyright law, entertainment law and new technologies. She also worked as legal advisor on copyright law to the previous Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage. She carries out teaching and training activities, has organized numerous conferences and events in the field of copyright and entertainment law, and has authored several publications in that field. She is a fellow of the NEXA Center for the Internet & Society. She is a component of the working group Digital Cultural Heritage ICOM ITALIA – 2020. Since 2008, she is the president of the no-profit association A-DJ that promotes and protects professional DJs.
Based in?: Rome, Italy
Summit Session: Creative Commons for Privacy Commons: How CC can Inspire Creation of Legal Tools for Managing Privacy Issues on-line.
How did you get involved with Creative Commons?
Back in 2001, during my research in the field of digital music copyright law.
How many times have you been to CC Global Summit?
2
What was your favorite CC Global Summit?
The first one that I joined in Lisbon in 2019, one year before Covid.
In the future, what is something you would like to see at CC Summit?
When it will be possible to attend physically again, I would like to have more CC artists’ performances/exhibitions.
Why are you an advocate for Open?
Because I believe that it is the right way to manage culture, research and information online, enhancing the importance of sharing and access to culture for everyone all over the world.
What is your proudest achievement?
I am proud to have designed and opened, since ten years ago, the access to CC music for background music (radio in store) in commercial premises and chains in Italy, nevertheless the monopoly of the Italian collecting society for authors and publishers (SIAE). I am also proud of having achieved the support of the Italian Parliament for the free reproduction of digital images of cultural heritage in Italy, expressed with the Resolution dated June 16th 2021. But there is still more to be done in order to convince the Government to adopt effective and real policy of open access.
What is the best part of what you do? What is the most difficult part of what you do?
The best part of what I do is giving my legal support and sharing my expertise on copyright law and culture heritage law. The most difficult part of what I do is changing the ideas of the institutions who are not ready for the change, in favor of the free sharing of culture and knowledge.
What is your favorite GIF?
What tool/platform/app are you loving right now?
I love Shazam to find out the credits of the music I am listening to, Whatsapp and Messanger for Messaging, Carl for plants, Waze to move around.
What’s one new trend that you think the CC community should look out for?
Short videos on CC social platform
What is the biggest setback you have experienced? How did you overcome it?
The loss of my father. Only time lightens it.
If you could only leave people with one message from your summit presentation, what would it be?
CC’s approach will help other sectors of law become more flexible and understandable.
What was the best career advice you ever received? What was the worst career advice you ever received?
The best career advice was given by my dominus who informed me that after having passed the bar exam, I should wait for 15 years before receiving the first recognition of my job. The worst career advice came from a person that told me that my choice of copyright law specialization would not work for me.
What would you like to say to Creative Commons on our 20th anniversary?
I would like to tell Creative Commons that a lot has been achieved so far, and 20 years are an important goal for the consolidation of the entire community. My sincere congratulations.
At the same time, there is still a lot of work to do, and events like the pandemic must be an incentive to increase the commitment devoted to the mission. For example, in the Glam sector, there is the need to provide specific tools for the attribution of public domain materials, and, more in general, we need to harmonize CC licenses with other laws such as privacy and personal data protection.
What does ‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ mean to you?
I think that the meaning is related to the question above “Why are you an advocate for Open?”. I strongly believe that free knowledge and culture are the key to support innovation, transformation and global rebirth.
Only 2 days to go until the 2021 CC Global Summit on September 20-24. Join us as we explore the latest developments in the Open Movement, celebrate 20 years of Creative Commons, and consider what the future of Open holds. Register here >>
Meet the CC Summit Presenter: Shweta Mohandas
Photo courtesy of Shweta Mohandas
The next presenter in our ‘Meet the CC Summit Presenter‘ series is Shweta Mohandas. Shweta is a Researcher at the Centre for Internet and Society, India. Her areas of work and interest include Artificial Intelligence, Privacy, and Intellectual Property Rights, and India’s policies surrounding them. She is currently researching on the development and use of voice-based technologies in India, with a focus on languages, accessibility and privacy.
Based in?: India
Summit Session: Making Voices Heard: Challenges and Opportunities for Open Access Voice Technologies
In the future, what is something you would like to see at CC Summit?
I would like to see more sessions on law and policy, as well as sessions based on emerging technologies.
What is your proudest achievement?
To be listed as 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics for 2020.
What is the best part of what you do? What is the most difficult part of what you do?
The best part is researching and writing, and hoping that it helps make the internet a safer and more accessible place. The most difficult part is the wait and anticipation over government policies, or the sheer speed at which they are passed at times. And I need to be always keep an eye on what is happening in AI, and Privacy.
What tool/platform/app are you loving right now?
Right now I love Reddit! where I can follow discussions on my favorite shows, plant care, and see tons of cat photos.
What’s one new trend that you think the CC community should look out for?
I would say computer generated art and NFTs.
If you could only leave people with one message from your summit presentation, what would it be?
Please help us keep the conversation on voice interfaces forward, and do read and share our report. ?
What would you like to say to Creative Commons on our 20th anniversary?
Hope there are many many more, and the community grows stronger each year.
What does ‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ mean to you?
Making work publicly accessible helps more people than you can imagine. As a researcher, I have been able to read and learn new ideas and approaches because of open and publicly available research.
Only 2 days to go until the 2021 CC Global Summit on September 20-24. Join us from wherever you are as we explore the latest developments in the Open Movement, celebrate 20 years of Creative Commons, and consider what the future of Open holds. Register here >>
Meet the CC Summit Presenter: Dan McGuire
Photo courtesy of Dan McGuire
Next up in the ‘Meet the CC Summit Presenter’ series, we sit down with Dan McGuire. Founder and Executive Director of SABIER, the Stone Arch Bridge Initiative for Education Resources, a nonprofit that enables philanthropy and foundation funding to go directly to supporting teachers and students to be able to use free, openly licensed content on open source learning management systems. Dan taught elementary grades at Marcy Open School in the Minneapolis Public Schools for 15 years after spending 16 years in sales management for telecom and computer companies in local, regional, and international markets.
Based in?: Minneapolis, U.S.
Summit Session: GeoGebra + Illustrative Mathematics = Great Teaching and Learning
How did you get involved with Creative Commons?
As a teacher in the Minneapolis Public Schools looking for ways to improve teaching and learning.
In the future, what is something you would like to see at CC Summit?
More elementary and secondary teachers and a few administrators.
Why are you an advocate for Open?
Open licensing enables equity, accessibility, more creativity, and more collaboration.
What is your proudest achievement?
Making GeoGebra’s Illustrative Mathematics in an LMS available to the global community.
What is the best part of what you do? What is the most difficult part of what you do?
Collaborating with really smart and creative people who care deeply about education. Making governmental orgs aware of the possibilities that OER provides for them.
What tool/platform/app are you loving right now?
GeoGebra. It is an incredibly powerful and fun education tool.
What’s one new trend that you think the CC community should look out for?
Governments waking up to the possibility of making learning resources equitable and accessible.
What is the biggest setback you have experienced? How did you overcome it?
Not getting a hit the whole first year of Little League baseball. I practiced to be able to get hits.
If you could only leave people with one message from your summit presentation, what would it be?
Open source learning management systems need to be more widely understood and used.
What was the best career advice you ever received? What was the worst career advice you ever received?
1) Go for it. 2) Working for a big corporation provides security.
What would you like to say to Creative Commons on our 20th anniversary?
Thank you!
What does ‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ mean to you?
More people working on ways to peacefully solve the world’s problems.
Only 2 days to go until the 2021 CC Global Summit on September 20-24. Join us from wherever you are as we explore the latest developments in the Open Movement, celebrate 20 years of Creative Commons, and consider what the future of Open holds. Register here >>
Meet the CC Summit Presenter: Kate Thornhill
Photo courtesy of Kate Thornhill
Our next presenter in the ‘Meet the CC Summit Presenter’ series, Kate Thornhill, believes that information should be available for all, and with its availability, we should know how it is made by being good digital stewards. Kate has worked at the University of Oregon Libraries in the Digital Scholarship Services Department since 2018. At the University of Denver Library and Information Science, she teaches digital libraries and digitization for the online master’s degree program. Before becoming a professional digital scholarship librarian, she received her master’s degree in library and information science from Simmons University in 2013. She has been devoted to developing and sustaining digital services as a hybrid between a librarian, archivist, and web technologist throughout her career. Her specializations are digital library services, emphasizing digital special collections and archives, and digital humanities project development, maintenance, and pedagogy. At UO Libraries, she regularly works with humanists and social scientists to advance their research and classroom practices by working through intellectual property rights, digital assets management, web development, and computational thinking issues and challenges. Before UO Libraries Digital Scholarship Services, she worked at Oregon Health and Science University as the Interim Director of Curatorial Services and Repository Librarian. She was also the Digital Scholarship Librarian at Lesley University’s College of Art and Design Library.
Based in?: Eugene, Oregon, United States
Summit Session: Open as a High Impact Practice: Centering Open Pedagogy and Public Scholarship
Why are you an advocate for Open?
Information should be available for all, and with its availability, we should know how it is made by being good digital stewards.
What is your proudest achievement?
Graduating from college!
What is the best part of what you do? What is the most difficult part of what you do?
Best part is getting to learn new technologies and how to use them for social good. The most difficult part of my job is not being integrated more into my university’s degree program designs.
What is your favorite GIF?
via GIPHY
What tool/platform/app are you loving right now?
CollectionBuilder. It’s a static website development app that allows you to build digital exhibits using GitHub pages.
“Information should be available for all, and with its availability, we should know how it is made by being good digital stewards.”
What’s one new trend that you think the CC community should look out for?
When building open digital humanities projects in a classroom, think about maintenance for the technologies and what does it really mean to use “free and easy tools” before starting an initiative.
If you could only leave people with one message from your summit presentation, what would it be?
Plan your classroom digital projects with digital librarians.
What would you like to say to Creative Commons on our 20th anniversary?
Keep up the good work!
What does ‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ mean to you?
Think critically about cultural sensitivities before you share openly. It can make futures brighter, but also bring stronger partnerships and collaborations.
Only 2 days to go until the 2021 CC Global Summit on September 20-24. Join us from wherever you are as we explore the latest developments in the Open Movement, celebrate 20 years of Creative Commons, and consider what the future of Open holds. Register here >>
Meet the CC Summit Presenter: Chimdi Chukwukere
Photo courtesy of Chimdi Chukwukere
We’re 4 days out from the 2021 CC Global Summit! Featuring next in our ‘Meet the CC Summit Presenter’ series, we meet Nigerian Chimdi Chukwukere—a Research Assistant and first class History & International Relations graduate. Chimidi is passionate about International Development, especially the provision of access to quality education for children & youth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Chimdi believes in investing in the skills and career development of youths, especially those from less-privileged backgrounds in Africa. Because of this, he created and currently manages an online community where I provide helpful personal and professional development resources to more than 200 African youths.
Based in?: South Orange, United States
Summit Session: How Open Data Can Drive Transparency and Transformation In Virtual Universities
Why are you an advocate for Open?
Because everyone deserves a chance to have access to world-class knowledge.
What is your proudest achievement?
Being a part of a Graduate Diplomacy Students contingent that advised the US government’s National Security Council, and the Department of Defense on Great Power Competition & Counterterrorism earlier this year as part of our National Security Fellowship.
What is the best part of what you do? What is the most difficult part of what you do?
The best part of my job as an academic researcher is being able to produce knowledge that has a policy effect. The most difficult part is asking the right questions and figuring out how to find answers to research questions.
What tool/platform/app are you loving right now?
Currently, I’m loving my iPhone Notes. It’s been helpful for jotting down quick ideas and thoughts.
What’s one new trend that you think the CC community should look out for?
Increase in virtual learning and remote working. Meaning that more free resources will be sought after.
“Shared prosperity and equal access to all will increase the world’s chance to live in peace.”
What is the biggest setback you have experienced? How did you overcome it?
The biggest setback I faced was the pandemic. As an international student who was alone and far away from home during the pandemic, I overcame the emotional challenges I faced through my faith in God.
If you could only leave people with one message from your summit presentation, what would it be?
Everyone can get an education, and virtual universities are one way to make education accessible to all.
What was the best career advice you ever received? What was the worst?
Best career advice: Diligence always pays, and even if you have to take a step back to achieve your goals, do it now and you will be happy you did, years to come.
Worst career advice: Don’t worry too much, what will be will be.
What would you like to say to Creative Commons on our 20th anniversary?
Thank you for the work you’re committed to doing. Millions all over the world have been educated and helped through Creative Commons initiatives.
What does ‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ mean to you?
Shared prosperity and equal access to all will increase the world’s chance to live in peace.
Join us from wherever you are for the 2021 CC Global Summit on September 20-24, as we explore the latest developments in the Open Movement, celebrate 20 years of Creative Commons, and consider what the future of Open holds. Register here >>
Meet CC Summit Presenters: Laliv Gal & Ariel Elinson
Photo courtesy of Ariel Elinson (left) & Laliv Gal (right)
Next up in our ‘Meet the CC Summit Presenter’ series, meet long-time Wikipedians Ariel Elinson and Laliv Gal. Ariel is an accomplished graphic designer and lecturer. With the support of Wikimedia Israel, he launched the VIPs Photography Project for Wikipedia. Ariel and Laliv will be presenting together at Summit. Laliv is a former board member of Wikimedia Israel, and a leader and active member of the Wiki-Woman local project. She has been volunteering for the VIPs Photography Project for Wikipedia for 6 years. Their session at the 2021 CC Global Summit will introduce their work photographing public figures in Israel, and the main goal of this unique project. This project focuses on creating and promoting high-quality, free and open content that can be used on Wikipedia articles and in other media.
Based in?: Israel
Summit Session: Very Important People become Commoners
How did you get involved with Creative Commons?
Ariel is the initiator of the VIPs photography project for Wikipedia with the aid of the Wikimedia Foundation in Israel, and Laliv is a volunteer at the project. Together we upload as many CC released photos as we can.
How many times have you been to CC Global Summit?
This is our first one! We are excited.
In the future, what is something you would like to see at the CC Summit?
We would like to hear about other ways to create high-end, good quality photos for the public use in other countries.
Why are you an advocate for Open?
We are advocates for Open because we believe in creating and sharing high quality visual content.
What is your proudest achievement?
Contributing hundreds of new photos to Hebrew Wikipedia articles.
What is your favorite GIF?
via GIPHY
What tool/platform/app are you loving right now?
Wikipedia, Of course!
What’s one new trend that you think the CC community should look out for?
Making video content more accessible for people use.
If you could only leave people with one message from your summit presentation, what would it be?
Create great content!
Only 6 days until the 2021 CC Global Summit kicks off on September 20-24. Join us virtually for a week of discussion, collaboration, creativity and community building. Register here >>
Meet the CC Summit Presenter: Comfort Onyaga
Next up in our ‘Meet the CC Summit Presenter’ series, we sit down with social entrepreneur, Comfort Onyaga. Comfort is a market systems development expert with over five years of field experience and a proven track record in her field. As a social impact entrepreneur, Comfort believes that Africa can become self-reliant through homegrown solutions to socioeconomic problems. This philosophy inspires her to drive inclusive economic growth and continue to impact humanity a day at a time. Comfort is a multi-hyphenate who has founded a nonprofit organization and private sector companies as follows: Founder & Executive Director, CLICE Foundation; Founder & CEO of Izanu Africa, an Agritech Startup; JustComfort, a fashion line for children and teens, Co-Founder, Policy Sharpers, and the coordinator, Ngozi Nwozor- Agbo Initiative (NNAI), and Multi-stakeholders Partnership Initiatives for Advocacy on Countering Trafficking in Persons (MULTIPACT). She is also an Alumna of the Founder Institute, Utiva Product School, and the Tekedia Mini-MBA Institute. As a founding member of Policy Shapers, she and her team participated in the maiden edition of the Stanford Open Data Project and emerged top three in the Policy and Advocacy Tract. Comfort was recently nominated for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Young Global Leaders, Class of 2022.
Based in?: Lagos, Nigeria
Summit Session: How Open Data can drive Transparency and Transformation in Virtual Universities
How did you get involved with Creative Commons?
My team saw the ads on DevCom and we decided to apply!
In the future, what is something you would like to see at the CC Summit?
A physical Summit if possible.
What is your proudest achievement?
Been nominated for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Young Global Leaders Class of 2022 sometime this year.
What is the best part of what you do? What is the most difficult part of what you do?
The best part of what I do as the Founder of CLICE Foundation is working with my team to impact humanity, and the most difficult part of it is fundraising.
What is your favorite GIF?
What tool/platform/app are you loving right now?
LinkedIn: I’m able to network and connect with professionals in my field seamlessly.
What is the biggest setback you have experienced? How did you overcome it?
My biggest setback was graduating from the Founder Institute in 2020, and I overcame it by quickly creating a team of like-minded persons to help me with most of my assignments, which were real-time tasks.
If you could only leave people with one message from your summit presentation, what would it be?
We all have a right to access data when we need it, because data is the live wire of the future.
What was the best career advice you ever received?
To build and grow CLICE Foundation during my formative years, rather than dump it for an offer another organization proposed in 2018.
What would you like to say to Creative Commons on our 20th anniversary?
The best is yet to come. Phenomenal strides await the Creative Commons.
What does ‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ mean to you?
It means collaboration for accelerated growth, because it takes collaboration to share, and this will ultimately birth growth in leaps and bounds.
Not long to go until the 2021 CC Global Summit on September 20-24. Join us from wherever you are as we explore the latest developments in the Open Movement, celebrate 20 years of Creative Commons, and consider what the future of Open holds. Register here >>
Meet the CC Summit Presenter: Kyle Smith
Can you believe we’re just one week away from the 2021 CC Global Summit? Join us from September 20-24 for an unforgettable event. This week, we will keep the ‘Meet the CC Summit Presenter’ Q&As coming, so that you can continue to get to know our presenters and their session topics ahead of next week. Our next presenter in the series will engage us in a topic that’s been making headlines recently — NFTs (Non-fungible tokens). Kyle Smith is a polymath passionate about the digital art creator economy, working on “conscientious cybernetics” using media & entertainment deeptech. He has a BBA in music industry from Belmont University and a JD in law from Western University. As an active member of LexDAO and Fellow in Gitcoin’s KERNEL incubator, Kyle is currently working on Ethereum projects. Namely, “public good” Ethereum projects that leverage Raspberry Pi Nodejs devops environments for STEAM education. Kyle’s Summit session ‘CC + NFT’will be based on this Creative Commons Canada blog post Copyright as a public good: CC + NFT value creation.
Based in?: Victoria, Canada
Summit Session: CC + NFT
How did you get involved with Creative Commons?
While I was a student at Western Law, I wrote a paper for Brian Fitzerald about using small claims court for copyright disputes.
In the future, what is something you would like to see at the CC Summit?
Monetary & validation awards for community voted projects that support the Commons.
Why are you an advocate for Open?
I believe in the positive impact literacy has on society. Program language literacy is now more important than ever.
What is your proudest achievement?
In academia:
What is the best part of what you do? What is the most difficult part of what you do?
The best is being the first to figure out low-level information theory. The most difficult is going out on a limb free solo for long stretches of time.
What is your favorite GIF?
What tool/platform/app are you loving right now?
My Cheerbot script-as-UX because it can live code and hot swap during performances.
“I believe in the positive impact literacy has on society. Program language literacy is now more important than ever.”
What’s one new trend that you think the CC community should look out for?
Full-fidelity duplication as a CC public good embraced by the “global parent” private good NFT layer; the topic of my Summit presentation.
What is the biggest setback you have experienced? How did you overcome it?
Political instability from Truth & Reconciliation struggles has been difficult. I look forward to moving to a jurisdiction without this complication, so I can better prioritize Cheerbot for all peoples.
If you could only leave people with one message from your summit presentation, what would it be?
We can have our cake and eat it too with digital media if we embrace “two-sided coin” IP composites, such as CC + NFT assets.
What was the best career advice you ever received? What was the worst career advice you ever received?
Best advice, know your personal brand and patiently work with it. Worse advice, impatiently try to make a lot of money, above all other priorities.
What would you like to say to Creative Commons on our 20th anniversary?
Congratulations! The World wouldn’t be nearly as Enlightened without you. Keep up the good work. :o)
What does ‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ mean to you?
Continue Jobs’s “bicycle of the mind” dream with modern “IoT” general purpose machines like Raspberry Pi so we can unleash the latent power of humanity and innovate ourselves out of this fossil-fuel-driven climate crisis.
Join us from wherever you are for the 2021 CC Global Summit on September 20-24. We will explore the latest developments in the Open Movement, celebrate 20 years of Creative Commons, and consider what the future of Open holds. Register here >>
