I have been nominated to stand in the 2020 election to the W3C TAG. If you're a W3C AC representative, you can vote here. Please consider ranking me favourably! I grew up alongside the Web, and have never known the world without it. Early tinkering with HTML and CSS shaped the course of my life and became a formative part of how I interacted with the world. It is deeply important to me to see the Web move forward as a positive force, and to push back against the surveillance, manipulation, and abuse that are routine across many parts of the Web today. I hold a PhD in Informatics from the University of Edinburgh, with a visiting year at MIT. My thesis builds on my personal experiences with online communities; I researched self-expression on the Web and how interconnected social and technical systems support or impede online interactions. At the same time, I helped shape the future of the social Web through co-editing and implementing several specifications of the W3C Social Web Working Group. I also spent a year and a half as the Working Group's Team Contact, which familiarised me with W3C processes and politics. I spent the years since developing software to support openness and transparency for public good. I have worked with investigative journalists and open data activists, facilitating the efforts of civil society groups, governments, and the private sector internationally. I continue this work as a Director of Open Data Services Co-operative, building and maintaining tools that use the Web to promote civic use of data and fight corruption worldwide. I also work with Digital Bazaar on Web standards related to decentralisation, with the goal of enabling a foundational layer of technologies to support individual agency on the Web. These experiences at the intersection of civic work and cutting edge standards development give me a unique perspective to bring to the TAG. There is no need for trade-offs between participation and privacy, or between community and autonomy, when building empowering Web technologies. My strengths lie in listening to input from a range of perspectives, discerning the common grounds on which to move forwards, and turning consensus into concrete specification text. The TAG has a great record over recent years of promoting security, privacy, and accessibility as core parts of Web architecture. These are a foundation upon which to build a better Web, but we need to do more. What good is an accessible Web if it is used to spread misinformation and hate speech? Our efforts around privacy are eroded if our digital legacies can disappear overnight because it's not profitable to keep them around. What of the algorithmic discrimination that can have disastrous effects on individuals and communities? The TAG is positioned to have a broad oversight of W3C standards: how the products of different Working Groups fit together in the wider context of society, international cultural norms, and legislation. We must use this perspective to ensure W3C members empower, rather than disenfranchise, people who use the Web. As a member of the TAG, I will push for a future for the Web where access and participation are based on meaningful consent. I want to see Web standards work which enables viable alternatives, context-sensitive experiences, and the ability to opt out without missing out. Find me at rhiaro.co.uk. Endorsements "I started working with Amy in 2014 as a fellow participant in the Social Web Working Group. Her insight, thoughtfulness, and the quality of her work impressed me enough that I pushed for her to come to MIT as a visiting scholar and eventually to join the W3C team for a time. She is capable and tenacious when it matters, while always being a team player. Most importantly, she never forgets the human side of technical work and the vision of how the web can help the world." — Sandro Hawke "[...] Amy's platform shares in a growing zeitgeist (sadly, still in the wispiest of stages) of thinking and reframing from the perspective of user empowerment, privacy, safety, agency, autonomy. Amy's platform reminds me of RFC 8890: The Internet Is For End Users. That's a perspective shift we desperately need right now... for the internet and the web both. [...]" (read more) — Chris Webber "I got to know Amy during her PhD studies at Edinburgh, and have stayed in touch since then. She's passionate, articulate, a developer and a campaigner. The TAG is the guardian of both the technical and social universality of the Web: Amy's technical experience and professional commitment to social responsibility are a perfect fit." — Henry Thompson, University of Edinburgh "I have no hesitation in supporting Amy's nomination. As a current fellow WG member and former colleague when we were both on the Team together, I know she brings exceptional skill, knowledge and passion for the Web. Her interests encompass the whole of the Web, both inside and outside the browser, across both technical and social issues; in short: just the kind of person to serve on the TAG." — Phil Archer, GS1 "Based on my experience working with Amy in the Social Web WG I believe the TAG will benefit from Amy's participation. She listens to all sides with an open mind before forming an opinion and can help drive decision making by clearly capturing and presenting the various options at hands. Amy has a strong background in Web technologies and will be a great addition to the TAG." — Arnaud Le Hors, IBM "Amy walks the talk of privacy. Yes, she has been a fabulous editor in my working groups. Yes, she is good at everything she says in her position statement. But on top of all that, she truly acts on her convictions, which will add an experience-based grounding to TAG privacy conversations." — Dan Burnett, Enterprise Ethereum Alliance "I fully support Amy's nomination to the TAG. She has consistently demonstrated both strong interest and effort in using her wealth of Web-technology knowledge and experience to ensure W3C specifications meet the high bar expected of international standards. She commands her considerable skills with grace, diligence, and respect in a way that would be considered an asset to any team." — Dave Longley, Digital Bazaar "Amy Guy has been instrumental in driving critical work forward in the W3C working groups I have had the opportunity of working on with her. Her knowledge of the web and the ability to bring coherence to open standards work are valuable. I fully support her nomination to the TAG." — Kaliya Young, Identity Woman, Co-Founder Internet Identity Workshop "When I found out Amy Guy was running for the TAG, my immediate reaction was, 'The TAG would be SO lucky to have her.' Working side-by-side with her on the Decentralized Identifiers spec, I have found her knowledge, diligence, patience, perseverance, and humor to be a joy. She is also hands down the best scribe on the WG. And she cares very deeply about the future of the Web (and the planet)." — Drummond Reed, Evernym "Having worked with Amy in multiple community and working groups at the W3C and the likes over the past couple of years, I've come to know her as an incredibly valuable member wherever she is present. Amy consistently demonstrates passion, a great depth of knowledge and a commitment to continuing to make the web a better place. For those reasons I fully support her nomination to the TAG." — Tobias Looker, Mattr "I support Amy's nomination. I enjoy working with Amy, and am regularly astounded by her productivity related to W3C standards. In particular, she has an unmatched ability to cover a high volume of small changes which add up to major improvements in readability. It's rare to encounter someone with the ability to move between high level definitions and use case and low level technical details so effortlessly." — Orie Steele, Transmute "Amy Guy would be perfect for the TAG. She contributed extensively to several Working Groups that will be most relevant to the web and society in the coming decades. She is well respected for her technical expertise as well as her leadership abilities for solving problems and reaching consensus. She has broad knowledge and perspectives on how different web technologies fit together beyond the boundaries of any single building block." — Markus Sabadello, Danube Tech
My brother came in to announce that all of Google is down, and asks "have you and your comrades finally succeeded?"
My brother and I have now lived together long enough that our brains have completely synchronised and we have started saying the same thing at the same time regularly.
It's easy, tempting even, for us decentralisation / free software nerds to say ha! Serves you right. But most people who depend on bigtech never had any meaningful choice in the matter. A great many people are working to change that. If you're inspired today to look for alternatives to google services, check out ethical.net.
I hope that many people are learning an important lesson about relying on centralised services just now. The tragedy is the people, real humans, who depend on this shit for their livelihoods. People who are paid by the row for data entry into a google spreadsheet, who need every cent from each youtube view, people who miss crucial email queries to their small business. No tech company should be so ingrained, have that much power.
Hiked to Balwearie Castle, just outside of Kirkcaldy. GPS trace.
Amy added 21 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-fife/
I helped out with a beach clean in Burntisland this morning, and got one heavy bag of rubbish after 2 hours. The Burntisland beach is immense and gorgeous, so it was a good opportunity to explore it more while the tide was out. I got out to the Black Rock for the first time. Got very wet feet, and there are lots of sinkholes. It was beautiful day. I met strange tiny sand aliens, who were waving their little arms, waiting for the sea to come back for them.. Dave caught up with me later. We had lunch at The Fix, picked up groceries from Grain & Sustain, then walked around the port a bit while we waited for the train back.
Amy added 91 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-fife/
Multipurpose crochet scarf/band thingie in colours of both the trans pride flag and the winter evening sky in Fife.
Amy added 7 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-fife/
Homemade crumpets! Finally. Flour, water, salt, yeast, bicarbonate of soda; a strong beating of the batter, and 15 minute rise. They tasted great, but aren't as bubbly as I'd like. I might try skipping the yeast and adding a little vinegar to react with the bicarb - because my banana pancakes have bicarb and lemon juice in and they always bubble a lot. I was surprised at how easily they came out of the ring once cooked mostly through.
Amy added 12 photos to https://i.amy.gy/madefood/
Along the Fife Coastal Path from Inverkeithing to Burntisland. A beautiful coastline, incredible views, and ending with a truly spectacular sunset. Who said December in Scotland had to be grim? GPS trace.
Amy added 215 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-fife/
Dave's photos from the Dalgety Bay hike.
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Last minute trip to Edinburgh, to help out friends. Felt busy and big.
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Dave and I collaborated on bread this week: he did the kneading, I did the rest. Turned out well. Also made burgers from my homemade seitan, and fried it for spicy tacos. Also pictured: roasted veggies with peanut sauce and rice; tantan pho (no questions please, I didn't have ramen) with miso soup and spring rolls.
Stuffed portobello mushrooms with mac'n'not-cheese, then later with Japanese rice, topped with smoked tofu and stir fry veggies. A hearty barley, lentil and vegetable stew. Chocolate fudge cake with cherries.
Amy added 11 photos to https://i.amy.gy/madefood/
Portabello pies, taco bar, udon, homemade bean and seitan burgers, broccoli and snap pea soup, mince pies (Mum's homemade mincemeat, my homemade pastry; an approximation of custard without any of the right ingredients), a roast with gravy and bbl not-meats, a fryup also with bbl not-meats, dahl, Earthy baked camembert..
Amy added 18 photos to https://i.amy.gy/madefood/
Amy added 14 photos to https://i.amy.gy/madestuff/
Miscellaneous beautiful days in Kirkcaldy.
Amy added 35 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-fife/
Amy added 18 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-fife/
Greener Kirkcaldy community bike ride along the promenade, was a nice breath of fresh air. (It's hard to make myself go out on my bike, so making myself go to things like this is good.)
Amy added 10 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-fife/
Walk to Dysart and back on a crisp day.
Amy added 19 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-fife/
Amy added 9 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-fife/
Photos by Dave of the Greener Kirkcaldy community bike ride. And some others around Ravenscraig later in the day.
Amy added 65 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-fife/
Puppy-sat Lowenna. She is a demon, purest evil incarnate. Also adorable. She's quite well behaved, except when she wants to rip me limb from limb. She also wakes up in the night for pee and needs cuddling back to sleep. Nice for a while, but glad I don't do this full time.
Amy added 23 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-uk/
Dave requested a pie this evening so I made one with a cat on it. Look I never claimed to be a pastry artist. It has red onions, garlic, mushrooms, enoki, brown lentils and tvp inside. We ate it with chips and gravy. Pie prep time vs pie eating time is grossly out of balance.
Amy added 7 photos to https://i.amy.gy/madefood/
An evening of an imminent storm that never came, with gorgeous vibrant skies reflecting on the beach at Seafields.
Amy added 33 photos to https://i.amy.gy/2020-fife/
Went to meetings.. did some maintenance work. Discovered a great source of yarn, in the Rejects department store across town. Hiked to Balwearie Castle and back. Made a little unplanned trip to Edinburgh, which felt like a scary big city compared to Fife. I'm feeling very attached to Kirkcaldy at the moment, which is a strange feeling I have not had in a long long while. Looked after K&M's demon puppy, Lowenna, on two occasions. Finished The Mandalorian. Finished Shingeki no Kyojin up to the start of season 4... (omg i love it) Started crocheting Grogu. Joined a Greener Kirkcaldy community bike ride. Started getting packages through the post! Having an actual functioning address is novel and exciting.
Finished crochet Grogu. Started Fullmetal Alchemist and The Witcher and the new Expanse. Finished Ratched. Walked to Dysart and back, through town. Hiked from Inverkeithing to Burntisland. Made mince pies because Mum posted me homemade mincemeat, which really forced my hand. Did some DID spec and Registries editorial work. My bro got sick (not covid) so looked after him a bit.
Indeed did not reach 10k for nanowrimo. Oh well. It was still fun.. and I have improved on some vague ideas I'd had. Thought about BODS as RDF. Started (finally) The Mandolorian. Crocheted a thing. Got woken up by thundersnow. Went out pretty much every day, including one run! And Friday to the market even though it was chucking it down and I got soaked. Sunday beach clean in Burntisland. Made foods.
A thoroughly grey and rainy week. Didn't go out, except to Friday market. The W3C TAG election voting opened and I am a candidate. Finished Children of Dune. Started God Emporer of Dune. Blazed through Shingeki no Kyojin and started Ratched. Ate lots of portabello mushrooms and made homemade crumpets. Went to meetings.. did some maintenance work. Fixed minor sloph bugs.