Interview mit Bruce Sterling
Interview mit Bruce Sterling
| “I take more interest in the emergent and the defunct, personally. For instance: what happens to all the MySpace data once the enterprise finally winks out?” |
Phänomene, Szenarien und Denkanstöße
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Der Science-Fiction Autor und Mitbegründer des Cyberpunk lehrt derzeit Internet Studies und Science Fiction an der European Graduate School in Saas-Fee.
What are the (new) characteristics of internet-based data/information? What attributes of the data are qualitatively new?
The size of the data sets and the arrival of big commercial silo operations like Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Google. Also the rise of state-supported hacking operations.
What are the most interesting technological possibilities to make use of this data?
People tend to be formally interested in technological possibilities that make a lot of money. I take more interest in the emergent and the defunct, personally. For instance: what happens to all the MySpace data once the enterprise finally winks out?
Where are, and where aren’t opportunities to shape good use from a technological point of view?
The moguls hold all the cards here. Intelligence agencies might be able to steal some of the cards. There just are not a lot of tools left for politicians or activists. Events are outpacing reaction. Imagine you were a member of the Egyptian elite asking this question two years ago.
Who is to draw the line between public and private (in different contexts)?
It looks to me like the "revolving door" there has been knocked off the hinges and trampled; "private" enterprise can buy all the "public" it wants. Once again I think the key issue here is the behavior of the ultra-wealthy; they are able to maintain at least some lines of obscurity around their behavior, so, how do they manage it?
How does identity depend on publicness?
That is a good question. If I am Robinson Crusoe these days, do I exist, even in my own eyes?
What information do you want to keep secret? From whom? Why? And what do you want to know about others (curiosity)?
I would say that I am mostly interested in protecting the confidences of other people; I do not want to embarrass sources, who trusted me. I also make it an ethical point not to distribute information about committing illegal activities. I would say the guys who most concern me are Balkan nationalist vigilantes who would like to harm my spouse for her political activism. It is an active threat but, to tell the truth, it does not make a lot of difference in daily behaviour. Since I travel a lot, immigration officials are of some concern.
I am curious about all kinds of odd things, but mostly as source material for fiction or journalism: I have never been keen to "intrude" on anyone's so-called "private" life.
At which places/ on which platforms do you disclose information?
My blog, Twitter, FlickR, on email lists, and of course through banking, passports and credit cards.
Where is anonymity important to you?
As an author I am a fan of pseudonymity.
