PrivacyCampDC 2009

Computers Freedom and Privacy 2009 isn’t over, and yet we are already discussing how to keep the discussions, learning’s, friendships and new ideas alive and vibrant once the conference closes June 4th and everyone returns home.

How can you continue to learn about what it is that you deeply care about?

How can you maintain the new and old friendships that you’ll make during the CFP 2009 conference once we have all returned to our real lives?

Well, if you are in the Washington, D.C. area you are in luck as a group of privacy folks have begun to self organize a BarCamp (unconference) around Privacy and Government Policy:  PrivacyCampDC 2009.

If you are not familiar with the BarCamp model (some of us older folks are familiar with “open space technology”) it does take a little getting used to.  BarCamps are organized by a small group of volunteers, paid for by sponsors (we are looking for more), and then the agenda is set by the attendees on the day of the event.  Seriously.  Really.

Unlike a regular conference where the agenda and speakers are predetermined ahead of time, the agenda is created in the early morning of the day of the event and discussions and demonstrations are done by those people that are passionate about showing up and dedicating an entire day to the subject at hand.

To get an idea about what happens at a BarCamp you might want to visit some previous BarCamp websites from events that have recently completed this year in Washington, D.C.

There have been a number of BarCamps in the D.C area in the past year.  For example:  eDemocracyCamp, MobileActive, TransparencyCamp, Gov20Camp.  All have been exciting and vibrant places where attendees come to participate and to learn from each other.

There are no spectators!

So, why a PrivacyCamp and why in DC?

The primary reason is that we (Ari Schwartz at the Center for Democracy and Technology and myself, Shaun Dakin from Citizens for Civil Discourse) wanted to have a BarCamp around an issue that we deeply care about, Privacy, in DC.

So, we did.

That is the great thing about BarCamps.  Anyone can do one, anytime, anywhere.

Where can I learn more about the event?

• Visit our Registration site to learn more, visit our sponsors, and to sign up.

When is the event? June 20th, 2009

Where is the event?

• We are close to finalizing a downtown Washington, D.C. location.

Who is on the volunteer organizing committee?

• Shaun Dakin - Citizens for Civil Discourse; Ari Schwartz – Center for Democracy & Technology; Heather West – Center for Democracy & Technology; Allisa Cooper – Center for Democracy & Technology; Alan Rosenblatt - Center for American Progress Action Fund

Who is sponsoring?  We are looking for more sponsors. Currently we have:

1. Center for Democracy and Technology – click here to learn more.
2. Sunlight Foundation – click here to learn more.
3. Center for American Progress Action Fund (Alan Rosenblatt) - click here to learn more.
4. Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) – click here to learn more.
5. Citizens for Civil Discourse - click here to learn more.
6. Rashne Green, Green Design – Responsible for logo design and development - Click here to email her.
7. Democrats.com (Bob Fertik) - Click here to learn more.

I know that I’m looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones soon.

Shaun Dakin is the CEO and Founder of The National Political Do Not Contact Registry (www.StopPoliticalCalls.org) the nation’s only non-partisan non-profit organization working to rid the nation of Political Robocalls, which are currently exempt from the Do Not Call registry. During the election Mr. Dakin appeared on CNN, MSNBC, FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR and XM Radio numerous times as the nation’s only spokesperson for the privacy rights of all voters. The NPDNC Registry has over 85,000 members.

Mr. Dakin has also testified in the US Senate on behalf of Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) and the Robocall Privacy Act.    During the election he worked with @BigEasy to develop a Twitter / Google Map Mashup to display robocalls across the nation. The National Political Do Not Contact Registry won the Mashable Open Web Award for best Non-Profit. He Twitters about this issue at @EndTheRobocalls and Twitters about everything else at @IsCool. Mr. Dakin lives in Falls Church, VA with his wife and son.