Our Ethics

We already hold the key to reclaim the power of our own social networks​.

Ad-funded social media is the cigarettes of our generation, cultivating addiction rather than good habits, yet communities today have virtually no way to coordinate effectively without it. The drive to increase engagement and (faux-)connection is primarily driven by commercial interests, and is therefore not based on public values ​​such as privacy, autonomy and transparency. Citizens become commodities within the frame of the ‘attention economy’, contrary to what is so important for the functioning of a healthy democratic society, an online ‘village square’ where people can freely and safely talk to each other. Public Spaces on the other hand, does not serve any political or commercial purpose, other than as stated on this website, and rather aims to create a new civic architecture for the digital world that embeds ethical values into technology, and expands economic opportunities for web users, creators, artists, and developers alike — a future in which all people, not just the few, directly benefit from their participation and contribution. The success of this work depends on many people actively working together to shape a better future. By reclaiming our social networks from venture capitalists and advertisers, we can use the immense power of online communities to establish and populate the internet we need and deserve – a web that is open, equitable, and centered on those communities. Let’s take back control of our relationships and direct our collective power to fuel higher and healthier standards.