Social networking has created groups on just about everything, so why not a tech Facebook group in Hawaii? It’s therefore no surprise that the month-old Hawaii Innovation Alliance already has signed up more than 500 members.
A few stalwarts — Peter Kay, Dan Leuck, Burt Lum, Jared Kuroiwa and Ryan Hew — well familiar with social media, the tech community and the legislative process, became alarmed about some bad bills in this session and organized the Alliance to vet and deal with them. The rest was wildfire.
Kay and Hew appeared on "ThinkTech Radio" last week. Saturday, at least 50 members showed up for a brick-and-mortar meeting at the Unconferenz.
There have been a number of tech trade associations in Hawaii, including the Technology Trade Association and the Science and Technology Council, both now defunct, and TechHui and the Hawaii Venture Capital Association, now quite active. The Alliance is the first grass-roots tech policy group in Hawaii.
The Alliance has been successful in attacking bad bills that would have regulated and perverted the Internet. The story of the infamous HB 2288 reached The Wall Street Journal, and the bill was stopped in its tracks. And that was good.
One legislator behind HB 2288 "deeply apologized" to the Alliance for the bill but in that same message "cautioned" the Alliance from making "personal attacks" on legislators, then launched into the following intimidation:
"Your industry has a reputation of only wanting things from the Legislature and not working with us on the things we need your help on. Legislators have given your industry $1 billion in tax credits which could have gone to helping our homeless issue, paid for affordable housing, upgrades to our schools, etc. We were highly criticized for doing this." Whatever that is, it’s not an apology.
Some legislators still say they won’t read your email, much less your posts. Sorry, but reading your mail is part of their job. Through groups like the Alliance, the power of collective revelation can shine a light on unresponsive officials as well as dubious legislation, and change things as never before.
The Alliance already has had a positive effect in this session. It’s also likely to raise awareness and leadership and embolden tech candidates to seek office or appointment. Hopefully, it will outlive the session and lead to the formation of political action committees and even a tech political party. Oh, joyous day.
The Alliance will need to have structure beyond the anonymity of social media. Indeed, a charter is being drafted (bit.ly/yNb5Dk), and the discussion has been expanded to consider leadership, fundraising, a tax exemption, you name it.
Online, the fickle finger of fate writes and moves on. To survive, the Alliance needs to be regularly re-excited. Are events at the Legislature and City Council enough to keep things fresh? Shouldn’t it also evaluate candidates this fall?
Alliance members can help with their tech skills. One said he would write code to parse and disseminate information from the Legislature’s server on hearings, decision-making and voting records. They can likewise create a programmers exchange or trade association guild. This is only a beginning of what could be.
Howard Rheingold wrote "Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution" in 2003. Smart mobs are social groups driven by connective technologies that allow them to coordinate actions and adapt to changes and challenges, just as in the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street and flash mob entertainment in Times Square.
In the land of disconnected apathy, social networks are king. The Alliance is a test for smart mobs, for the tech industry, for the Legislature and for grass-roots democracy. Who knows, maybe we can pass those tests and make history.
Whether the Alliance will be sustainable depends on whether it will generate new ideas on a continuing basis. If so, it’ll be reinforced in other media. We’re counting on that. If it doesn’t get traction in other media, it’ll be short-lived.
When tested in Hawaii’s political laboratory, maybe the Alliance will peak early, and that’d be regrettable. Lurkers might wonder about its longevity, but for now it’s going strong and could allow us a grand opportunity to affect policy.
The train is out of the station. It could gather more steam and more political and economic momentum, or it could run out of gas or get sidetracked. The choice, and the test, is ours. Let’s take the moment and make some history.
———
Jay Fidell, a longtime business lawyer, founded ThinkTech Hawaii, a digital media company that reports on Hawaii’s tech and energy sectors of the economy. Reach him at fidell@lava.net.
