BECOMING A CHATON: From web-hosting decentralization to the construction of a sovereign governance

Session type: Panel (60 minutes)

Track: Governance & Strategy

Speakers

ppom

Member of Picasoft and the CHATONS collective. Occasional contributor to Wikipedia Fr. Developer of reaction.

Abstract

CHATONS ("kittens" in French) is short for Alternative, Transparent, Open, Neutral and Solidary Hosters Collective. This collective aims to federate organizations hosting decentralised, ethical and free online services. Our goal is to give our users delightful alternatives to GAFAM services while keeping their online life private. CHATONS is composed of \~100 French speaking orgs, under the banner of values cherished by Wikipedia: Neutrality, Inclusion...
Those hosters participate to the Free Software and Free-culture movement by offering online services based on free software. They observe a common charter aiming notably at ensuring the confidentiality of the data they host.

Additional information

Should your session be selected for the program, do you consent to having your session and supporting materials released on-wiki and on the eventyay platform under CC BY-SA 4.0.?
I agree

How does your session relate to the event theme: Liberté, Équité, Fiabilité (Freedom, Equity, Reliability).
This presentation is aligned with the theme as it explores how freedom of association allows organizing another vision of digital technologies, with local hosting collectives. These local collectives, united under CHATONS, give people the possibility to use sovereign and local infrastructures, in France, Belgium and Canada. CHATONS federates visions of the Internet fostering the appropriation of technologies by citizens, for citizens. Finally, while big tech platforms push their own political agenda, by promoting some content at the expense of others, citizen hosters still hold dear a web that is accessible and unbiased for all. Because of its continued operational work and its strong ethical foundations, the CHATONS federation remains independent of public and private pressures alike, and nurtures a diversity of social ambitions in its peaceful sanctuaries. They maintain this position by ensuring they don't get funds which would threaten their integrity and free will.

Which Wikimedia audiences will find this content the most useful?
People interested in Free Culture, access to information, neutral and free services and infrastructures. People interested in local and collective governance. People interested in sovereign and decentralized technologies.

What is the replication potential of the project presented? What references can you provide about making this proposal? What elements would enable the same project to be carried out elsewhere?
CHATONS hasn't (yet) a known equivalent in other world regions. The collective is regularly approached by isolated organizations, similar to members of the collective, from non french-speaking countries. They often ask how to bootstrap a similar dynamic. We'd be glad to help those structures create another collective!

What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?
Everyone can participate in this session

How do you plan to deliver this session?
Onsite in Paris