Page 27 - AC/E Digital Culture Annual Report 2014

AC/E digital culture ANNUAL REPORT 2014Within the so‐called sharing economy of which it forms part, user participation does not seek to contribute to a third‐party project but rather to have a direct effect on the practice of consumption, a consumption which in turn is shared within a community. It is a way of embodying certain values such as sustainability and respect for the environment, while still generating savings by eliminating the intermediary role of traditional economic agents and substituting them with shared‐interest communities.According to a study by Cetelem (2013), 52% of Europeans will opt for mutual help or interchange in the coming years, 75% are prepared to buy directly from producers and more than half are seduced by the idea of barter. From travelling exchanging sofas or sharing a car, to creating environment‐friendly purchase groups to buy directly from producers or forming networks for the loan or exchange of clothing, books or DIY tools, collaborative consumption as a way of life is not just a way of confronting the economic crisis, but also has social implications such as the change from a property culture to one of efficient use. It is the public itself that sees in digital technology and social networks the capacities for self‐organisation, transaction management—and not necessarily economic transactions—and creating links of confidence with the design of new systems for transparency.The Net questions the role of traditional intermediaries in the distribution of information and becomes an ideal platform to create new markets under new rules. For cultural producers, whether professionals or amateurs, designers, musicians, photographers or artisans, the Internet is also a place to offer your work and build a public without the intervention of publishers, record companies, producers or agents. Thus, platforms such as Etsy, Threadless and Creativemarket provide a virtual shop for artisans and designers who otherwise would not be able to sell their creations.AC/EKEYS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CROWDSOURCING PRACTICESSo far we have looked at all manner of advantages in setting up crowdsourcing campaigns for companies, artists, institutions and groups. However, we must not ignore the many dilemmas faced by those who wish to do so and who need strategies to ensure success and satisfaction for all those taking part.One matter is the need to regulate the fact that involvement implies the acquisition of author’s rights to users’ contributions, be they originals or the modifications of prior works, and the responsibility that both parties have for them. This necessitates the design of a system of guarantees that validates the rights in a way that is sufficiently flexible in a context of digital culture.Another is that it is also necessary to take account of the influence of the voluntary nature of the work— which being unrewarded financially may also call forth lesscommitment—on the quality of the results and the time‐scale for execution.Also, from thepoint of view ofthe company,group or institution that is considering a crowdsourcing campaign it is essential to devote the necessary resources to ensure the success of the project—resources which might be material (support for technology or remuneration) or human (community stimulators, managers with negotiation skills, etc.). This goes hand in hand with the costs of organisation and coordination (a community does not arise spontaneously, but needs to be cared for and fed, guided and mobilised) and the ability to assume risks in terms of the quality of the results,The practice of shared consumption through the Net is an ideal platform for creating new markets with new rulesWHERE WE ARE HEADING: DIGITAL TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF CULTURETHEME 2: CROWDSOURCING: SHARED CULTURE CURRENT PAGE...27