The Digital Policy bloggers network is an open community which creates conversations around digital policy issues amongst bloggers, policy makers and influencers. In doing so, it expands the conversation to a wider, non-traditional audience who are interested in policy. Such a conversation is needed today because many digital policy discussions now span traditional boundaries – ex Cloud, Green IT, Smart Grid etc.
The network engages with three categories of bloggers: Influencers, Academia and Corporate blogs. Created by futuretext , the basic concept is to present ‘many sides’ (perspectives) of the same view. One could describe it as: ‘watching both Al Jazeera and CNN’ i.e. getting diverse and valid perspective on the same issue.
Currently, as we encounter sweeping changes transforming traditional boundaries, many of which are driven by technology, the Digital Policy bloggers network aims to:
- Provide a voice for influencers and thought leaders in the blogosphere who have specific views on niche themes i.e. cover niche topics/perspectives in detail
- Create a wider conversation on Digital policy issues through a combination of editorial content, curated content(human selection of content) and events
COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS
Futuretext/ Ajit Jaokar is retained by the European Internet Foundation to provide regular updates in the best thinking from the digital policy bloggers network
ETHICS STATEMENT
See Ajit Jaokar’s ethics statement HERE
Ajit Jaokar is the founder of the London based publishing and research company futuretext. futuretext specialises in identifying and researching cross-domain technology trends. In 2009, Ajit was nominated to the World Economic Forum’s ‘Future of the Internet’ council. In 2011, he was nominated to the World Smart Capital program – which is based on Smart cities in Amsterdam. Ajit moderates/chairOxford University’s Next generation mobile applications panel and conduct courses at Oxford mainly in the next generation Telecoms domain. He has written a number of books which include Open Mobile, Social Media Marketing, Mobile Web 2.0 and Open Gardens.
Ajit has spoken at many conferences which include MobileWorld Congress(2011, 2009, 2008, 2007); CTIA (2011, 2010, 2009, 2008) CEBIT 2009; O Reilly Web20 expo (April 2007);Keynote at Java One; European Parliament – Brussels – (European Internet Foundation); Stanford University’s Digital visions program; MIT Sloan; Fraunhofer FOKUS ; University of St. Gallen (Switzerland) and various Informa conferences on Telecoms.
Ajit is studying for his PhD at UCL (part time). This research involves working with White space spectrum and applications like healthcare and rural broadband
Ajit believes that diversity reduces risks and increases insights. He has used this principle in his thinking, writing and in the creation of the Policy bloggers network.
Ajit lives in London, UK and is a British citizen. He was born in India and also has New Zealand nationality. Ajit’s personal ethos leans to being a humanist and a libertarian. Ajit is a fan of animation especially Tom and Jerry, Tintin and Asterix and likes the music of ZZ Top and other rock bands
Dr Tiija Rinta is an educationist, development worker, researcher and writer based in London, UK. Tiija completed her doctorate from the Institute of Education, University of London, on the importance of creative activities in educational settings with children who exhibit communication difficulties. Tiija has worked for several international NGOs,Government Agencies and universities. Such work has taken her to various countries (such as Nepal, Kenya Jordan) where she has been
able to use her knowledge and skills for the benefit of locals.
Most recently Tiija has worked for an EU-funded pan-European project on the usability of music technology for enhancing social inclusion amongst children from immigrant backgrounds. She has also carried out consultancy work for UNICEF, Save the Children and Relief International. A recent professional visit took Tiija to the Educational Research Academy of the Government of Taiwan where she worked as an expert for local Governmental officials on the Finnish education system and on the role of creative subjects in the curriculum.
The products of Tiija’s work are publications in international professional journals, articles in magazines, book chapters and handbooks for professionals. Tiija has also recently written her debut novel ‘Four Sides to the Core’. Tiija’s latest challenge is a small NGO, Volunteer East
(www.volunteereast.org.uk), that recruits volunteers from the UK and sends them on placements in partnership organisations in developing countries, without placement fees.
Andrew Griffin
Andrew Griffin worked for over a decade as a stock market analyst in the technology sector in London. Previously an electronic engineer and chartered accountant he is now working with technology start-ups and writing and presenting on the technology sector. He blogs at http://technogriff.blogspot.com/ and can be contacted via www.linkedin.com/in/agriffin
Andrew Griffin – technogriff blog
Maggie Baldry is the founder of Tried and Tested User Manuals (TaTUM) The name of the service was created to reflect Maggie’s, proofreading, editing and writing skills. The service was created to help authors, businesses, creative teams, basically anyone who needs a skilful eye to check their work before it is released into the public domain,
Maggie is a trained technical author with a broad commercial background within Manufacturing, Retail, Supply Chain and Data Management. More recently Maggie has collated and published the Kindle e-book, Soft Footsteps. This work celebrates the achievements of women who are leaders in their professional and creative lives, historically and in the 21st century.