electrohippies

Welcome to the web site of the Free Range electrohippie collective!

Established in 1999, the purpose of the electrohippie collective has been to investigate way in which information and communications technology can be used to extend and support grass roots campaigning. As part of this work we have developed or supported various projects using computers and audio/visual media, although to date it's our online protests that we're most reknown for.

Why "electrohippies"? It started as a euphemism. It was our view that the initial reaction to any group seeking to campaign for the environment and communities against "the system" would be classed as "a bunch of hippies" by the media. So we chose to take this stereotype and use it – essentially as a situationist ploy – to play against these conventional stereotypes and create a new dynamic meaning.

Over the years, especially since the electrohippies involvement in online anti-war and anti-world-trade protests, we've gained the reputation as anarchic computer hackers. We don't disagree, except in the definition of the term "hacker". We use the term "hacker" in its original sense, as first used in the computer department of MIT – a "hacker" is someone who uses their knowledge of technology (in it's widest sense, not just computers) to solve problems or to extend the functionality of equipment to serve new purposes. We use computers, but we don't limit ourselves to them (some of our more recent work has been involved with supporting the development of alternative energy systems for use in developing countries).

From 2002 to 2006, the electrohippie collective went on a sort of sabbatical – or, as was put at the time, "we disbanded the collective to infiltrate!". Now, after we each individually did a lot of work in other and very different environments (developing some new ideas in the process) we're back into activly working for change again....
let's see what happens!

Explore the electrohippies web site:

• Publications & Downloads
  Reports, briefings and other information produced by the electrohippie collective.
  
  
• Online Actions Guide
  An index of current/proposed online campaigns by the electrohippies and other organisations.
  
  alternate page – if not click here.

• electrohippies Online Action Tools
  Online tools for developing networked/distributed campaigns and protests.
  
  
• "No Bill Inside" – a campaign against the Micro$oft hegemony!
  Information and ideas for how to move away from Micro$oft, and other forms of proprietary software, to a more community-oriented model of information and communications technology.
  
  
• Browser Alert Campaign
  Does your web browser pass the electrohippies inquisition?