Institute for Applied Autonomy
"The Institute for Applied Autonomy (IAA) was founded in 1998 as a technological research and development organization dedicated to the cause of individual and collective self-determination. Our mission is to study the forces and structures which affect self-determination and to provide technologies which extend the autonomy of human activists." - IAA Mission Statement
The Institute for Applied Autonomy is an activist group which focuses on dissemination of knowledge, autonomy, and methods of self-determination through artistic expression and application of military-like technology to the topics of Criminal Mischief, decentralized systems and individual autonomy. It was founded in 1998 as an informal research collective around the central theme of contestational robotics. The group of anonymous artists is known for employing technology in protest.[1] Among its better known initiatives is iSee, a decentralized CCTV map distribution software containing user-generated data including positioning of surveillance cameras in New York City, as well as several other international city centers, in protest of privacy violations on the general public,[2] and TXTMob, a registration system for cell phones to allow protest groups rapid, anonymous communication.[3] In February 2008, the New York City Law Department issued a subpoena to the programmer of TXTmob asking him to reveal users of the service and contents of messages sent during the 2004 Republican National Convention.[4]
Anyone may join the group or act as an IAA operative. Officially, the IAA does not disclose the identities of its members or the activists responsible for its "official" projects, though occasionally, unofficially, and at the discretion of the individual members, IAA members reveal their identities after their projects have reached a level of "coolness". The IAA principles of self-determination, decentralized organization and self-propagation of its aims and goals, stated as non-violent pro-individual expression in the conceptual space of individual rights, provides the IAA with a method of encouraging participation from its audience or other interested artisans who wish to work and operate tactical media protests and other types. It is affiliated, loosely, through cross-participation, with the Critical Art Ensemble and the Carbon Defense League, also known as Hactivist Media.
All IAA artwork has been copylefted, with permission for use as long as it is attributed.
External links
- Applied Autonomy — official website
De-anonymized Members
- Sean O'Rourke
- Richard Pell
- Thad Hirsch
- H. "Mad Merv" Elwood
- Steve Kurtz (collaborator)
References
- ^ Cvar, Stacey Recht. (February 9 2005) The Art of Sedition Cincinnati City Beat. Accessed December 14 2007.
- ^ Pentland, William. (November 16 2007) Insecurity Cameras The Nation. Accessed December 14 2007.
- ^ Di Justo, Patrick. (September 9 2004). Protests powered by cellphone The New York Times. Accessed December 14 2007.
- ^ Moynihan, Colin. (March 30, 2008). City Subpoenas Creator of Text Messaging Code The New York Times. Accessed April 9 2008.
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