[finders] The Hyperlinked Society

[finders at findability.org]

May 29, 2006: The Hyperlinked Society

http://www.findability.org/archives/000118.php

I'm looking forward to participating in The Hyperlinked Society. I'm
inspired (and awed) by my fellow panelists, and the program looks delicious:

"Most internet users know hyperlinks as highlighted words on a web page that
take them to certain other sites. But hyperlinks today are quite complex
forms of instant connection: for example, tags, API mashups, and RSS feeds.
Moreover, media convergence has led to increased instant linking among
desktop computers, cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players, digital video recorders,
and even billboards.

Through these activities and far more, links are becoming the basic forces
that relate creative works to one another. Links nominate what ideas and
actors have the right to be heard and with what priority. Various
stakeholders in society recognize the political and economic value of these
connections. Governments, corporations, non-profits and individual media
users often work to digitally privilege certain ideas over others.

Do links encourage people to see beyond their personal situations and know
the broad world in diverse ways? Or, instead, do links encourage people to
drill into their own territories and not learn about social concerns that
seem irrelevant to their personal interests? What roles do economic and
political considerations play in creating links that nudge people in one or
the other direction?

We need cross-disciplinary thinking to address these contentious questions,
and so our panels include renowned news, entertainment and marketing
executives, information architects, bloggers, cartographers, audience
analysts, and communication researchers. Audience participation will be
enthusiastically encouraged."

Unfortunately, I have no clue what I'm going to say. That's where you come
in. How would you address these topics? What questions aren't being asked?
Who isn't being included? And what should I read to get ready? Thanks!