How about a Journalist at scuttle-camp ?

Hi all, I'd like input on a decision I'm going to make as an organiser of scuttle-camp. I'm running the advice process, that is I am seeking the advice of all the people who this decision will affect.

My first priority is for scuttle-camp to be a place which is safe and relaxed for those attending, or thinking about attending - so if a journalist is going to make anyone unfomfortable I definitely want to hear about it, and to learn about where your personal boundaries are.

Please feel free to post in this thread, or contact me (or @alanna privately).

Context

@Nathaniel Popper is a journalist for the NYT, (you can find them on twitter here). They've been in touch with me, and asked if it was appropriate for them to attend scuttle-camp. They're also had call with (I think) @dominic @andrestaltz @zach. They have a background in writing some of the history (to date) of Blockchain, and in our conversations I've heard them express in the solar-punk movement, but they're also interested to learn about the other themes running through our culture here.

When I asked about what his journalistic presense might look like, Nathaniel responded :

the main thing I'd be interested in doing was talking with people about their use of Scuttlebutt, and how it fits into their vision of the role technology should play in our lives. I would also be interested in seeing the group events, and hearing the conversation -- a bit like an anthropologist. I generally always have my notebook and recorder with me But I would certainly be respectful of people who don't want to be quoted or in the story. I could start a conversation about that on Scuttlebutt leading up to the event. I wouldn't have a camera, but I'm imagining that my paper might want to send a photographer for at least part of the time.

They have also said :

i'm also thinking i may stay off site, in wellington or nearby -- and then just come by during the day. do you think that would work?

Ask

If you're attending or thinking about attending, can you give me feedback (here or privately) about how you feel about this?

You might like to use emoji e.g. :

• I'm fine with whatever
• I don't want any photos of me taken, and if Nathaniel is in a workshop I wouldn't share anything. I'm happy for them to chat to other people though.
• no no no no .. I have so many feelings I can't even articulate them, there is deep trauma here for me

cc some people this might be relevant to :

@Nathaniel Popper is here and can answer questions if you'd like to clarify anything too

as long as the photographs don't also steal my soul

Welcome, @Nathaniel. Please consider staying at the camp for the full experience!

Really great reply by @Alanna, that's what I would have said, but even better.

One meta-level comment: it's fascinating that this scuttlefest is practicing Reflection, it's functioning like the scuttleverse functions, in the sense that it's a pull network where participation is either invite-driven and/or trust-based. The obstacles people have with onboarding SSB are the same with joining scuttlefest, and I mean good obstacles.

Quick reminder: this is foremost a gathering for those growing scuttlebutt. Growth of this community and technology is social, cultural, some technical, and many other things, and there will be people present representing them all.

I deliberatly didn't use the word Developer because that might suggest to some people that the primary skill required to be a wanted attendee is to be a programmer. I don't want anyone to think that they're a nice to have or token. Let's skip that by just calling this ScuttleCamp, and invite everyone to come as themselves and participate as equals.

Apologies for the aside. I felt it was important people were clear. I'm open to discussing that more in a fork if anyone wants to discuss that more

I'm +1 on this. 👍

I'm looking forward to making new friends at scuttle-camp, and I don't think there's anything wrong with attendees documenting the experience that they have.

anonymously relayed (mix summarising someone elses message)

I'll summarise their full position in a follow-up post but wanted to get their base posit in posted

I don't want any photos of me taken, and if Nathaniel is in a workshop I wouldn't share anything. I'm happy for them to chat to other people though.

Here's my imperfect summary of the person's position (from the above)

• it's not a blocking no
  • it's "because of past negative experiences with journalists, I will personally be avoiding Nathaniel"
• a block on any recording in any full-group activities
  • the guiding feeling being you need to be able to opt out of being recorded, without having to be totally excluded

• have read some of Nathaniel's work, and have some skepticism about some of the angles or approaches they've felt. A couple of examples like:

  • In Opioid Dealers Embrace the Dark Web to Send Deadly Drugs by Mail it was the use of a shock narrative and way that the victims were used to play into that. Also dramatising Tor as a "Dark Web Tech" when it seems likely he knows that the Tor community don't favour that casting.
  • In Decoding the Enigma of Satoshi Nakamoto and the Birth of Bitcoin it was this part when Nathaniel described how he interacted with Mr. Szabo at a Bitcoin event in a vacation home (which sounded confrontational in a not particularly compassionate way):

    "While he kept to himself, I managed to corner him in the kitchen during the cocktail hour. He was notably reserved and deflected questions about where he lived and had worked, but he bristled when I cited what was being said about him on the Internet […]"

Summary : "I’m fine with a journalist being there, think it can be positive, not fine with recording events where everyone is present and I trust your judgement and ability to facilitate."

@sam relayed a story from mozfest whereby people who didn't want photos taken could wear red lanyards, which just totally removed the need for any confrontation or tension around asking or having to repeatedly reply. Interesting idea

from me. I think we can benefit a lot from journalism. It helps not only to spread the scuttleverse but provides us with a very good person who knows how to ask questions and by being asked the right questions, we as a group, might come to understand more about ourselves. (I am totally biased, I am married to an investigative journalist).

@mix and @cameralibre another thing we experimented with were pronoun stickers and also country flag / language stickers for the volunteers. I think the pronoun sticker was just used in a single space (how mozfest is divided) once, don't know if more people used that. We had that at another event IIRC. The language stickers still in use by volunteers. This makes more sense in an event with 1000+ people where finding someone who speak your native tongue helps a lot. The no-photo lanyards are quite common at Mozilla events though.

RE: opt-in opt-out

at simply secure residency we each had a name badge on

• Name
• pronoun
• socials
• green sticker if you opted-in to being in photos. so if someone did not have a green sticker on them then you were to assume they didn't cosent to photos...

There was also chattam house rules

Chatham House Rule
/ˌtʃatəm haʊs ˈruːl/Submit
nounBRITISH
plural noun: Chatham House Rules
a rule or principle according to which information disclosed during a meeting may be reported by those present, but the source of that information may not be explicitly or implicitly identified.
"the conference was held under the Chatham House Rule"

Jouranlist Decision

Thanks for everyone's input. I'm deciding that we will invite @nathaniel to join us.

The only constraint we'll currently put on attendance is:

• a block on any recording in any full-group activities

We'll think more about possible using lanyards / badges as we get closer. If there is any other feedback or needs people have, especially from those who registered and did not see this thread, then please contact me directly