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11 Commits

Author SHA1 Message Date
Paul Payne
57280c51d4 Add open positions. 2025-08-23 15:42:19 -07:00
Paul Payne
c6efeeabd6 "Self-determination" is more on point. 2025-07-22 18:57:20 -07:00
Paul Payne
13bc51d443 Content and layout update. 2025-07-22 18:13:04 -07:00
Paul Payne
396dd976d9 Add hero images. 2025-07-13 15:41:31 -07:00
Paul Payne
188380873b Update about us page and remove foundation section. 2025-07-13 15:40:43 -07:00
Paul Payne
d7bd9bae18 Add people pages. 2025-07-13 15:39:51 -07:00
Paul Payne
4a5cfbeb49 Add custom dictionary. 2025-07-13 15:39:25 -07:00
Paul Payne
599e3a1649 Enhance layout and styling with new CSS classes, update homepage layout to custom, and add summaries and feature images to various articles for improved content presentation. 2025-07-09 17:09:14 -07:00
Paul Payne
59db4fc091 Better layout. 2025-07-09 12:46:22 -07:00
Paul Payne
97256cf4a3 Adds icons. 2025-07-08 19:15:33 -07:00
Paul Payne
0000fc7d22 Polish. 2025-07-08 17:26:13 -07:00
133 changed files with 11758 additions and 973 deletions

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# Custom Dictionary Words
Balkanization
commoditized
CSTF
Elon
Forkability
Laitupa
Sahrul
Snowden
Zuckerberg

10
.vscode/settings.json vendored Normal file
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{
"cSpell.customDictionaries": {
"custom-dictionary-workspace": {
"name": "custom-dictionary-workspace",
"path": "${workspaceFolder:civilsociety.dev}/.cspell/custom-dictionary-workspace.txt",
"addWords": true,
"scope": "workspace"
}
}
}

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@@ -6,21 +6,12 @@
- Install dart-sass.
```bash
hugo server
hugo server -D
npm run dev # TailwindCSS JIT compilation
```
## Deploy
```bash
hugo build
docker build -t payneio/civilsociety.dev . --file ./Dockerfile
docker push payneio/civilsociety.dev
# From payne-cloud
# First time...
bin/wild-app-deploy civilsociety
# Update...
kubectl rollout restart deployment civilsociety -n civilsociety
scripts/deploy.sh
```

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@font-face {
font-family: font;
src: url('/fonts/font.ttf');
src: url('/fonts/OpenSans-Regular.ttf');
}
@font-face {
font-family: cstf;
src: url('/fonts/LinLibertine_R.ttf');
}
html {
font-family: font;
}
h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, .main-menu, .decoration-primary-500 {
font-family: cstf;
}
figure {
margin: .5em;
padding: 0;
}

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@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ defaultContentLanguage = "en"
# pluralizeListTitles = "true" # hugo function useful for non-english languages, find out more in https://gohugo.io/getting-started/configuration/#pluralizelisttitles
enableRobotsTXT = true
summaryLength = 0
summaryLength = 20
buildDrafts = false
buildFuture = false
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ googleAnalytics = "G-606W7SWX5E"
category = "categories"
author = "authors"
series = "series"
person = "people"
[sitemap]
changefreq = 'daily'
@@ -67,3 +68,10 @@ googleAnalytics = "G-606W7SWX5E"
name = 'fragmentrefs'
type = 'fragments'
weight = 10
[markup]
[markup.goldmark]
[markup.goldmark.parser]
[markup.goldmark.parser.attribute]
block = true
title = true

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@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
[[main]]
name = "About"
pageRef = "foundation"
pageRef = "about"
weight = 30
[[main]]
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@
pageRef = "learning"
weight = 60
[[main]]
name = "Contribute"
pageRef = "contribute"
weight = 60
[[menu]]
name = "Open Positions"
parent = "Contribute"
pageRef = "contribute/positions"
weight = 10
#[[main]]
# name = "example sub-menu 2"
# parent = "Parent"

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@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ disableTextInHeader = false
showScrollToTop = true
[homepage]
layout = "profile" # valid options: page, profile, hero, card, background, custom
layout = "custom" # valid options: page, profile, hero, card, background, custom
#homepageImage = "IMAGE.jpg" # used in: hero, and card
showRecent = ["articles"]
showRecentItems = 3
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ disableTextInHeader = false
showAuthor = false
# showAuthorBottom = false
showHero = true
# heroStyle = "basic" # valid options: basic, big, background, thumbAndBackground
heroStyle = "big" # valid options: basic, big, background, thumbAndBackground
layoutBackgroundBlur = true # only used when heroStyle equals background or thumbAndBackground
layoutBackgroundHeaderSpace = true # only used when heroStyle equals background
showBreadcrumbs = true
@@ -75,27 +75,27 @@ disableTextInHeader = false
invertPagination = false
showReadingTime = true
showTableOfContents = true
showRelatedContent = true
showRelatedContent = false
relatedContentLimit = 3
showTaxonomies = false
showTaxonomies = true
showAuthorsBadges = false
showWordCount = true
sharingLinks = [ "linkedin", "twitter", "bluesky", "mastodon", "reddit", "pinterest", "facebook", "email", "whatsapp", "telegram"]
sharingLinks = [ "linkedin", "twitter", "bluesky", "mastodon", "reddit", "facebook", "email", "whatsapp", "telegram"]
showZenMode = true
[list]
showHero = false
# heroStyle = "background" # valid options: basic, big, background, thumbAndBackground
showHero = true
heroStyle = "background" # valid options: basic, big, background, thumbAndBackground
layoutBackgroundBlur = true # only used when heroStyle equals background or thumbAndBackground
layoutBackgroundHeaderSpace = true # only used when heroStyle equals background
showBreadcrumbs = false
showSummary = false
showBreadcrumbs = true
showSummary = true
showViews = false
showLikes = false
showTableOfContents = false
showCards = false
showCards = true
orderByWeight = false
groupByYear = true
groupByYear = false
cardView = false
cardViewScreenWidth = false
constrainItemsWidth = false
@@ -164,4 +164,4 @@ disableTextInHeader = false
[rssnext]
# feedId = ""
# userId = ""
# userId = ""

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@@ -1,21 +1,44 @@
---
title: 'Welcome to CivilSociety.dev'
title: "Welcome to CSTF!"
---
As civil society organizations become increasingly dependent on digital tools, the question of who controls that technology becomes a matter of democratic importance.
<header>
<!-- Light mode image -->
<div class="dark:hidden">
{{<figure
src="/img/cstf-full-logo.svg"
alt="CSTF"
nozoom="true"
class="w-84 mx-auto"
>}}
</div>
The Civil Society Technology Foundation develops and disseminates open-source, self-hosted technologies that enable genuine digital sovereignty. We provide the tools, knowledge, and community support necessary for civil society to operate independently of surveillance-based platforms and extractive business models.
<!-- Dark mode image -->
<div class="hidden dark:block">
{{<figure
src="/img/cstf-full-logo-light.svg"
alt="CSTF"
nozoom="true"
class="w-84 mx-auto"
>}}
</div>
</header>
Our work spans software development, educational resources, and community engagement—creating pathways to technological self-determination for organizations that can't afford to compromise their values.
<div class="prose dark:prose-invert max-w-3xl mx-auto pt-8">
{{< button href="/foundation/" target="_self" >}}
Learn More
{{< /button >}}
The CSTF empowers individuals and communities to reclaim digital self-determination through the development and dissemination of open-source, self-hosted technologies.
<div class="flex justify-end">
{{< button href="/foundation/">}}
Learn More about CSTF
{{< /button >}}
</div>
<div class="flex flex-col gap-8">
{{< article link="/articles/independent-technology/" >}}
{{< article link="/articles/why-digital-sovereignty-matters/" >}}
{{< article link="/articles/arguments-against-centralization/" >}}
</div>
<div class="flex flex-col gap-4 pt-16" >
{{< article link="/articles/independent-technology/" >}}
{{< article link="/articles/digital-self-determination/" >}}
{{< article link="/articles/arguments-against-centralization/" >}}
</div>

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@@ -0,0 +1,187 @@
---
title: The Civil Society Technology Foundation
heroStyle: background
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
cardView: false
aliases:
- /foundation/
- /foundation/core-principles/
- /foundation/mission-statement/
---
The Civil Society Technology Foundation is a global, volunteer-led, US 501(c)3 non-profit charity incorporated in Washington State.
## Purpose
The foundational technologies of our digital lives are open and free. The architecture of the Internet was intentionally designed with standardization, open protocols, and distributed governance to ensure it remained robust, interoperable, and accessible to all. The Internet and the technologies that run upon it hold the promise to empower individuals and communities locally and globally with the tools to communicate, organize, and innovate without barriers.
However, instead of embracing this potential directly, individuals and organizations have increasingly turned to commercial platforms and service providers to mediate access to technology. While convenient, our usage of technology is now largely centralized, gated, and governed by the increasingly few at the expense of access, privacy, and self-determination of the many. Over-reliance on centralized platforms has resulted in degraded health and weakened civil liberties as they too often prioritize engagement and control over user welfare.
This is a crisis of _digital self-determination_.
Digital technology is in its essence a common good. It is software and software, like knowledge or speech, is free to all. Free to be created. Free to be shared.
_The Civil Society Technology Foundation collaborates to remove barriers to creating, sharing, and using software. Our work spans open software development, educational resources, and community engagement, creating pathways to technological self-determination for individuals and communities in alignment with their values._
## Mission
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) empowers individuals and communities to reclaim digital self-determination through the development and dissemination of open-source, self-hosted technologies.
We exist to create a world where technology serves people by reducing dependency on centralized platforms and enabling direct control of digital infrastructure and applications.
Through accessible tools, educational resources, and community engagement, we advance practical autonomy: the capacity of users to understand, create, modify, and maintain the technologies they rely on.
We believe digital self-determination, including control over data, identity, and computation, is essential to democratic participation and institutional resilience in the digital era.
This work is motivated by a conviction that open systems, federated infrastructure, and transparent governance are not only technically feasible, but socially necessary. By building and sharing common resources, we contribute to a broader ecosystem of public digital goods—critical to any robust civil society.
## Principles
The Civil Society Technology Foundation operates according to the following core principles that guide all our work, partnerships, and initiatives.
### Self-determination by Design
**Users must own their data and control their computing environment.**
Digital systems should be designed with autonomy as a foundational requirement, not an afterthought. This means:
- Data remains under user control by default.
- Consent must be explicit, informed, and revocable.
- Infrastructure should be designed for individual or community ownership.
- Privacy is a fundamental right, not a premium feature.
### Tools Over Policy
**We build alternatives rather than asking for permission.**
While policy reform has its place, we prioritize creating technical solutions that enable autonomy regardless of regulatory environments:
- Direct action through tool-building creates immediate paths to autonomy.
- Self-determination cannot wait for legislative or corporate reform.
- Working alternatives demonstrate what's possible and accelerate change.
- Technical empowerment reduces reliance on regulatory protection.
### Open Source, Always
**Software must be libre—free to use, study, modify, and share.**
Open source is not simply a development methodology but a foundation for digital self-determination:
- Source code transparency enables trust verification and community oversight.
- Freedom to modify ensures tools can adapt to evolving needs.
- Rights to redistribute create resilience against capture or abandonment.
- Collective improvement leads to higher quality and security.
### Self-Hosted Infrastructure
**Individuals and communities should control their own infrastructure.**
Centralized hosting creates fundamental risks of capture, surveillance, and dependency:
- Local infrastructure ownership provides true digital autonomy.
- Self-hosting creates resilience against external disruption.
- Community-scale infrastructure balances efficiency with self-determination.
- Infrastructure design should prioritize simplicity, reliability, and maintainability.
### Democratized AI
**Artificial intelligence must be open, efficient, and serve civil society.**
As AI becomes increasingly central to digital systems, its governance and accessibility are critical:
- AI systems should run on commodity hardware where possible.
- Models and training data should be publicly available and auditable.
- Development should be guided by public needs over commercial imperatives.
- Benefits should accrue to communities, not just model owners.
### Transparent Governance
**All governance must be visible, accountable, and auditable.**
How we govern ourselves models the world we seek to create:
- Decision-making processes should be documented and accessible.
- Influence should be earned through contribution, not financial control.
- Community participation in governance should be substantive, not symbolic.
- Accountability requires both transparency and mechanisms for change.
### Healthy Ecosystems Win
**Projects succeed through their value to communities, not popularity or funding.**
We evaluate success by contribution to civil society, not market metrics:
- Genuine utility to real communities outweighs vanity metrics.
- Sustainability matters more than rapid growth.
- Complementary projects create more value than competitors.
- Diversity of approaches strengthens the ecosystem as a whole.
### Interoperability via Consent
**Standards emerge from alignment, not imposition.**
True interoperability respects autonomy while enabling cooperation:
- Protocols should be open, documented, and implementable by anyone.
- Standards adoption should be voluntary and beneficial.
- Federation should respect boundary decisions of participants.
- Gateways between systems should preserve user autonomy.
### Contribution Defines Membership
**Participation is earned through action. Identity is contextual and optional.**
Communities grow stronger through active contribution:
- Value is created through doing, not just affiliating.
- Multiple forms of contribution should be recognized and valued.
- Identity verification should be proportional to the context.
- Privacy and pseudonymity are valid choices in appropriate contexts.
### Critical Adoption over Blind Use
**Pragmatism means understanding trade-offs.**
We advocate informed choice rather than ideological purity:
- Users should understand what rights they give up and why.
- Perfect autonomy may be balanced against practical needs.
- Transition paths from closed to open systems are valuable.
- Transparency about compromises builds trust and education.
## Directors
<div class="not-prose">
{{<figure
src="/people/paul-payne.jpg"
href="/people/paul-payne/"
target="_self"
alt="Paul Payne, CSTF Director"
nozoom="true"
caption="Paul Payne, CSTF Director"
class="max-h-80"
>}}
</div>
_CSTF is recruiting for board members and other positions. View our [open positions](/contribute/positions) for more information._
## Contact
### Online
Join our [community forum](https://forum.civilsociety.dev) to get in touch with us. You can view member profiles and send direct messages once you register.
### Mailing address
7405 168th St NE #621<br/>
Redmond, WA 98052
### Phone
+1 (206) 790-6707

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@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
---
title: "Articles"
cardView: true
cascade:
showReadingTime: true
showWordCount: true
params:
heroStyle: background
heroStyle: big
---

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@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
---
title: Arguments Against Centralization
date: 2025-07-06
featureImageCaption: "Photo by Chad Davis, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 (CC BY 2.0): https://www.flickr.com/photos/146321178@N05/49062863796. License link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/"
summary: While centralization can offer certain efficiencies and conveniences, we believes that the current level of concentration poses fundamental threats to individual autonomy, community resilience, and democratic governance. This resource provides evidence-based arguments that can be used in advocacy, education, and technology development contexts.
---
## Executive Summary

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@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
---
title: Digital Self-Determination
date: 2025-07-06
summary: Digital self-determination is essential for individuals, communities, and civil society organizations to maintain control over their digital lives. This article explores the importance of digital self-determination, the threats it faces, and practical steps toward achieving it.
featureImageCaption: "Photo by <a href=\"https://unsplash.com/@lemonvlad?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash\">Vladislav Klapin</a> on <a href=\"https://unsplash.com/photos/assorted-flag-YeO44yVTl20?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash\">Unsplash</a>"
aliases:
- /articles/why-digital-sovereignty-matters/
updated: 2025-07-06
---
## What is digital self-determination?
Digital self-determination is the ability of individuals, communities, and organizations to exercise meaningful control over their digital lives. It means having genuine authority over your data, the software you use, and the infrastructure that powers your online activities.
True digital self-determination includes:
- **Data control**: Determining what information you share, with whom, and under what conditions.
- **Software freedom**: Using, examining, modifying, and sharing the code that runs your digital tools.
- **Infrastructure ownership**: Having the ability to operate your own servers and services.
- **Knowledge access**: Understanding how your technology works and being able to make informed choices.
- **Governance participation**: Having a voice in how digital systems are designed and regulated.
Digital self-determination exists on a spectrum from complete dependency to full autonomy. The Civil Society Technology Foundation works toward shifting the balance away from centralized control and toward individual and community empowerment.
## The threat to digital self-determination
Most people today have very little digital self-determination. Consider your typical online experience:
- Your personal information is collected, analyzed, and monetized by corporations without meaningful consent.
- The software you use is controlled by distant companies that can change terms, features, or access at any time.
- Your content and connections depend on platforms that can censor, amplify, or de-rank what you share.
- Critical services like email, calendars, and file storage are hosted on corporate infrastructure that you cannot inspect or control.
- Algorithms shape what you see and how you communicate in ways designed to maximize corporate profit.
This lack of self-determination is not accidental--it's the result of business models and regulatory environments that incentivize centralization and data extraction. The trend toward concentration has accelerated as digital technology has become essential to nearly every aspect of modern life.
## Individuals need digital self-determination
For individuals, digital self-determination affects fundamental aspects of daily life:
### Privacy and security
Without digital self-determination, your personal information becomes vulnerable to exploitation. Your browsing history, location data, and private communications transform into corporate assets, traded and monetized without meaningful consent. Intimate details of your life face constant exposure through data breaches and surveillance, creating a permanent digital record that can be weaponized against you at any time.
Digital self-determination changes this dynamic fundamentally. When you control your digital infrastructure, you determine what information you share and with whom. Encryption and privacy-preserving tools become standard practice rather than specialized knowledge. You can maintain clear boundaries between different aspects of your digital life, protecting both your current privacy and your future autonomy.
### Personal autonomy
Without digital self-determination, your choices become systematically constrained by forces beyond your control. Algorithms shape not just what information you see, but what options appear available to you. Design patterns constantly nudge you toward behaviors that benefit platforms rather than yourself, while essential tasks increasingly require surrendering privacy as the price of participation.
Digital self-determination restores meaningful choice to your daily life. You can make decisions based on diverse information sources that you've actively chosen rather than algorithmic curation. Your tools serve your needs rather than exploiting your attention for profit. Most importantly, you can participate fully in digital society without surrendering your fundamental rights or personal dignity.
### Economic security
Without digital self-determination, you face growing economic vulnerabilities in an increasingly digital economy. Your skills and livelihood become dependent on proprietary platforms that can change terms or revoke access arbitrarily. Economic opportunities remain subject to the whims of platform policies, while the value you create online flows primarily to distant corporate owners rather than building your own wealth or community resources.
Digital self-determination builds genuine economic resilience. You develop portable skills that transcend any specific corporate platform, ensuring your capabilities remain valuable regardless of technological shifts. You can create and connect through systems you help govern, participating in cooperative economic models that distribute value more equitably among those who generate it.
## Communities need digital self-determination
Communities, from local neighborhoods to identity groups to civil society organizations, face particular challenges in the digital age.
### Community autonomy
Without digital self-determination, communities lose fundamental autonomy as their governance structures become subordinated to platform rules and algorithms. Local knowledge and cultural context get systematically flattened by global platforms designed for mass consumption rather than community specificity. Meanwhile, community resources flow steadily toward distant corporations instead of circulating locally to strengthen community bonds and capacity.
Digital self-determination enables communities to truly thrive on their own terms. They can design digital spaces that authentically reflect local values and meet specific community needs. Community standards and practices remain intact without corporate override or algorithmic interference. Most importantly, digital infrastructure becomes a genuine community asset that builds collective wealth and capacity rather than extracting value.
### Resilience against censorship
Without digital self-determination, communities face systematic silencing through mechanisms that appear neutral but consistently harm marginalized voices. Platform policies regularly restrict legitimate speech, with enforcement patterns that disproportionately affect those with the least institutional power. Commercial content moderation systems cannot possibly reflect the nuance and context of diverse community standards, leading to decisions that undermine rather than protect community discourse.
Digital self-determination preserves community voice through infrastructure independence. Communities can operate their own communication systems that resist external censorship while developing content moderation approaches appropriate to their specific context and values. They maintain fallback channels that cannot be easily blocked, ensuring continuity of communication even under pressure.
### Collective memory
Without digital self-determination, community history becomes dangerously precarious as it depends entirely on corporate platforms with their own priorities and lifespans. When platforms shut down or change direction, they take irreplaceable community archives with them. Algorithmic sorting continuously buries historically important content, while corporate priorities rather than community values determine what gets preserved for future generations.
Digital self-determination strengthens cultural continuity by giving communities control over their own historical record. They can maintain archives and documentation according to their own standards and priorities. Knowledge transfer between generations happens on community terms rather than through corporate intermediaries. Digital artifacts remain accessible and meaningful even as underlying technologies evolve, ensuring that community memory persists across technological transitions.
## Civil society needs digital self-determination
For the non-profit and non-governmental bodies that form the backbone of democratic society, digital self-determination is particularly crucial.
### Independence from corporate control
Without digital self-determination, civil society becomes fundamentally compromised in its mission and effectiveness. NGOs find themselves forced to accept surveillance and data extraction as the price of accessing essential digital tools, undermining their ability to protect the communities they serve. Advocacy organizations become dependent on platforms that may actively oppose their values, while corporate philanthropy increasingly shapes which digital infrastructure gets built, prioritizing donor interests over community needs.
Digital self-determination allows civil society to maintain its integrity and independence. Organizations can choose and use tools that genuinely align with their mission and values rather than contradicting them. Advocacy work can proceed without platform-imposed limitations that undermine effectiveness, while infrastructure development responds to actual community needs rather than market incentives or corporate priorities.
### Operational security
Without digital self-determination, civil society organizations face escalating security risks that threaten their core work. Sensitive communications and confidential data must reside on vulnerable commercial platforms designed for profit rather than protection. Critical organizational workflows become dependent on services that can be withdrawn or modified without notice, while organizational data gets integrated into commercial AI training sets without consent or oversight.
Digital self-determination dramatically improves operational security by returning control to the organizations themselves. They can maintain direct oversight of sensitive information rather than trusting corporate intermediaries. Communication channels become resistant to surveillance and interference, while infrastructure resilience protects against both technical disruption and political pressure.
### Ethical alignment
Without digital self-determination, civil society faces deep contradictions that undermine moral authority and organizational effectiveness. Organizations advocating for human rights often find themselves using tools that systematically violate those same rights. Digital workflows frequently contradict stated organizational values, while resource dependencies on extractive platforms compromise advocacy positions and limit strategic options.
Digital self-determination enables authentic alignment between values and practice. Technology choices can reflect and actively reinforce organizational principles rather than undermining them. Digital infrastructure embodies the world organizations are working to create, demonstrating alternative possibilities rather than perpetuating existing problems. Most importantly, consistency between means and ends strengthens moral authority and makes advocacy more credible and effective.
## The path to digital self-determination
Achieving greater digital self-determination isn't an all-or-nothing proposition. It's a journey with practical steps that individuals and organizations can take.
### For individuals
1. **Start with awareness**: Learn how your current tools work and what alternatives exist.
2. **Make incremental changes**: Replace proprietary services with open alternatives one by one.
3. **Join communities of practice**: Connect with others on similar journeys.
4. **Develop technical literacy**: Build skills to maintain more of your own technology.
5. **Support and advocate**: Contribute to projects and policies that promote digital self-determination.
### For organizations
1. **Audit current dependencies**: Understand where you lack digital self-determination.
2. **Prioritize critical systems**: Focus first on communications and sensitive data.
3. **Invest in capacity**: Build technical skills within your organization.
4. **Build community infrastructure**: Partner with similar organizations to share resources.
5. **Center self-determination in planning**: Make digital autonomy a strategic priority.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation's [Wild Cloud project](/projects/wild-cloud) provides a reference implementation for individuals, communities, and organizations seeking to regain digital self-determination. It demonstrates that practical steps toward greater independence are possible today, even with limited resources.
## Conclusion
Digital self-determination isn't a luxury, it's increasingly essential for meaningful participation in society, for the health of communities, and for the independence of civil society. As digital technology becomes more deeply embedded in every aspect of our lives, the question of who controls that technology becomes more urgent.
The challenges are significant, but practical alternatives exist. By taking incremental steps toward greater self-determination, we can build a digital future that enhances rather than undermines human agency, community resilience, and democratic values.
Digital self-determination matters because it determines whether technology will serve as a tool of liberation or a mechanism of control. The choice between these futures is still ours to make--if we act with purpose and clarity about what's at stake.

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---
title: The Importance of Independent Technology in Civil Society
date: 2025-07-06
summary: Independent technology is essential for civil society to thrive in the digital age. This essay explores the problems of centralization, the benefits of digital self-determination, and how we can build a more equitable and resilient digital future.
featureImageCaption: "Photo by <a href=\"https://unsplash.com/@sahrulfikrilaitupa?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash\">Sahrul Laitupa</a> on <a href=\"https://unsplash.com/photos/a-young-man-sitting-at-a-desk-with-headphones-on-64ONLGrc0HQ?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash\">Unsplash</a>"
---
## Introduction
Independent technologysoftware and hardware developed outside corporate and government control, owned and operated by the people who use itis essential to the flourishing of civil society in the digital age. As our social, political, and economic lives increasingly move online, the question of who controls these digital spaces has profound implications for democracy, individual autonomy, and collective well-being.
Independent technology is software and hardware developed outside corporate and government control, owned and operated by the people who use it. We are so accustomed to being dependent on commercial platforms and services that we fail to recognize the alternatives; however, independent technology is essential to the flourishing of civil society in the digital age. As our social, political, and economic lives increasingly move online, the question of who controls these digital spaces has profound implications for democracy, individual autonomy, and collective well-being.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) contends that truly independent technology is not just preferable but necessary for addressing the growing crises of digital rights, privacy, autonomy, and democratic participation. When technology serves its users rather than distant shareholders or state interests, it becomes a foundation for a more equitable, free, and resilient society.
The concentration of digital power in the hands of a few corporations and governments has reached a critical threshold where it now threatens the very foundations of civil society. This essay examines why independent technology matters, what's at stake, and how we can build toward digital self-determination.
## The Problem: Centralization of Digital Power
## The problem: centralization of digital power
Our digital infrastructurefrom communication platforms to cloud computing services, from operating systems to artificial intelligence modelshas become increasingly centralized under the control of a handful of global corporations and powerful states. This concentration creates systemic vulnerabilities and power imbalances that undermine individual autonomy and collective agency.
Our digital infrastructure--from communication platforms to cloud computing services, from operating systems to artificial intelligence models--has become increasingly centralized under the control of a handful of global corporations and powerful states. This concentration creates systemic vulnerabilities and power imbalances that undermine individual autonomy and collective agency.
### Corporate Capture
### Corporate capture
The corporate capture of our digital commons has proceeded rapidly, with alarming consequences:
The corporate capture of our digital commons has proceeded rapidly, with alarming consequences.
- **Infrastructure Consolidation**: Major technology companies have consolidated control over fundamental digital infrastructure, from cloud services to communication platforms. Just five companiesAlphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoftnow control much of the infrastructure that powers our digital lives, creating unprecedented concentrations of power.
Major technology companies have consolidated control over fundamental digital infrastructure, from cloud services to communication platforms. Just five companies--Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft--now control much of the infrastructure that powers our digital lives, creating unprecedented concentrations of power.
- **Misaligned Incentives**: Commercial imperatives prioritize engagement, data collection, and profit over user well-being. When a service is "free," users become the product, with their attention and personal data monetized through surveillance-based advertising. As one tech executive famously noted, "If you're not paying for the product, you are the product."
Commercial imperatives prioritize engagement, data collection, and profit over user well-being. When a service is "free," users become the product, with their attention and personal data monetized through surveillance-based advertising. As one tech executive famously noted, "If you're not paying for the product, you are the product."
- **Extractive Relationships**: Platform monopolies create harmful dependencies and extract value from communities. Local businesses, independent creators, and civil society organizations increasingly rely on centralized platforms that extract fees, impose arbitrary rules, and can unilaterally change terms of service.
Platform monopolies create harmful dependencies and extract value from communities. Local businesses, independent creators, and civil society organizations increasingly rely on centralized platforms that extract fees, impose arbitrary rules, and can unilaterally change terms of service.
- **Artificial Scarcity**: Corporate technology creates artificial scarcity in what should be abundant digital resources. Digital goods can be replicated at near-zero marginal cost, yet subscription models, paywalls, and intellectual property regimes create artificial barriers to access and use.
Corporate technology creates artificial scarcity in what should be abundant digital resources. Digital goods can be replicated at near-zero marginal cost, yet subscription models, paywalls, and intellectual property regimes create artificial barriers to access and use.
- **Personalization as Control**: Algorithmic "personalization" becomes a mechanism for behavioral manipulation and preference shaping, optimizing for commercial outcomes rather than user agency or collective well-being. These systems are designed to maximize time spent, interaction, and consumptionnot to enhance human flourishing.
Algorithmic "personalization" becomes a mechanism for behavioral manipulation and preference shaping, optimizing for commercial outcomes rather than user agency or collective well-being. These systems are designed to maximize time spent, interaction, and consumption, not to enhance human flourishing.
Our public messaging infrastructure should not be in the hands of any individual, such as Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg, where a single person's whims can reshape the digital public sphere that billions of people rely on.
### Government Overreach
### Government overreach
As digital systems become central to civic life, governments have expanded their control in problematic ways:
As digital systems become central to civic life, governments have expanded their control in problematic ways.
- **Mass Surveillance**: State surveillance undermines civil liberties and democratic processes. The capabilities revealed by Edward Snowden and subsequent whistleblowers demonstrate how digital infrastructure has enabled unprecedented monitoring of citizens, activists, and journalists without appropriate democratic oversight.
_Government regulatory capture_ of technology often reinforces corporate power rather than constraining it. Complex regulatory frameworks crafted with industry input frequently protect incumbents while raising barriers to entry for smaller, independent alternatives.
- **Regulatory Capture**: Government regulation of technology often reinforces corporate power rather than constraining it. Complex regulatory frameworks crafted with industry input frequently protect incumbents while raising barriers to entry for smaller, independent alternatives.
Public services increasingly rely on proprietary technologies, creating long-term vulnerabilities within _overdependent relationships_. When governments outsource core functions to proprietary platforms, they sacrifice self-determination and create risky dependencies that undermine democratic accountability.
- **Dependency Relationships**: Public services increasingly rely on proprietary technologies, creating long-term vulnerabilities. When governments outsource core functions to proprietary platforms, they sacrifice sovereignty and create risky dependencies that undermine democratic accountability.
_Mass state surveillance_ undermines civil liberties and democratic processes. The capabilities revealed by Edward Snowden and subsequent whistle-blowers demonstrate how digital infrastructure has enabled unprecedented monitoring of citizens, activists, and journalists without appropriate democratic oversight.
- **Security State Expansion**: National security justifications often mask anti-democratic control mechanisms. The post-9/11 expansion of digital surveillance and the ongoing use of security arguments to justify technological control demonstrate how nominal protection can lead to substantial harm.
National security justifications often mask anti-democratic control mechanisms. The post-9/11 expansion of digital surveillance, the current expansion of surveillance technologies in response to civil protests of immigration enforcement, and the ongoing use of security arguments to justify technological control demonstrate how nominal protection can lead to substantial harm.
- **Corporate-State Alliances**: The line between corporate and state power blurs as they develop symbiotic relationships. Tech companies gain market access and regulatory advantages, while states gain access to data and infrastructure for surveillance and control.
The line between corporate and state power blurs as _corporate-state alliances_ develop. Tech companies gain market access and regulatory advantages, while states gain access to data and infrastructure for surveillance and control.
Government is too often compromised by corporate special interests, creating a cycle where those with the most resources shape both market and regulatory outcomes.
### Systemic Failures
### Systemic failures
These problems aren't just individual failures but represent systemic issues with how digital technology is currently structured:
These problems aren't just individual failures but represent systemic issues with how digital technology is currently structured.
- **Inequality Amplification**: Concentration of technological power amplifies existing social inequalities. Those with fewer resources have less privacy, less control, and are more vulnerable to exploitation in digital systems designed primarily for profit maximization.
Concentration of technological power _amplifies existing social inequalities_. Those with fewer resources have less privacy, less control, and are more vulnerable to exploitation in digital systems designed primarily for profit maximization.
- **Manipulation Incentives**: Ad-based business models incentivize psychological manipulation rather than service. The imperative to maximize "engagement" leads to the amplification of divisive, emotional content and the creation of addictive design patterns.
Ad-based business models incentivize _psychological manipulation_ rather than service. The imperative to maximize "engagement" leads to the amplification of divisive, emotional content and the creation of addictive design patterns.
- **Innovation Barriers**: Proprietary systems create artificial barriers to innovation and adaptation. When core technologies are locked behind patents, trade secrets, and closed interfaces, communities cannot adapt them to their specific needs or improve upon them.
Proprietary systems create _artificial barriers to innovation_ and adaptation. When core technologies are locked behind patents, trade secrets, and closed interfaces, communities cannot adapt them to their specific needs or improve upon them.
- **Infrastructure Vulnerabilities**: Critical infrastructure becomes vulnerable to both market and geopolitical forces. When essential digital services are controlled by profit-seeking entities or potentially hostile governments, they become points of leverage that can be exploited during conflicts or crises.
Critical _infrastructure becomes vulnerable_ to both market and geopolitical forces. When essential digital services are controlled by profit-seeking entities or potentially hostile governments, they become points of leverage that can be exploited during conflicts or crises.
- **Externalized Harms**: The costs of digital systems are often externalized onto users and society, from privacy violations to psychological harms to environmental impacts. These are treated as "external" to the core transaction, though they represent real and significant costs.
The _harms_ of digital systems are often _externalized_ onto users and society, from privacy violations to psychological harms to environmental impacts. These are treated as "external" to the core transaction, though they represent real and significant costs.
The structure of our digital infrastructure has evolved rapidly, without sufficient consideration of its impacts on civil society, democracy, and human flourishing. The consequence is a digital ecosystem that systematically extracts value from communities while undermining the conditions for collective agency.
## The Solution: Digital Self-Determination
## The solution: digital self-determination
In response to these challenges, we need a vision of digital self-determination—where individuals and communities can meaningfully control their technological destinies. This isn't merely a technical project but a social and political one, grounded in core principles that put human flourishing at the center of technological development.
### Core Principles of Independent Technology
### Core principles of independent technology
Independent technology is guided by principles that prioritize human agency and community well-being:
- **User Sovereignty**: Control over personal data and computing environments must rest with users. People should own their data, determine how it's used, and maintain authority over the devices and services they rely on. Consent should be meaningful, informed, and revocable.
- **User Self-determination**: Control over personal data and computing environments must rest with users. People should own their data, determine how it's used, and maintain authority over the devices and services they rely on. Consent should be meaningful, informed, and revocable.
- **Open Systems**: Technology should be transparent, modifiable, and freely available. Open-source software, open standards, and open hardware create the conditions for inspection, improvement, and adaptation by communities rather than just original creators.
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ Independent technology is guided by principles that prioritize human agency and
- **Democratic Governance**: The rules, policies, and development priorities of digital systems should be determined through democratic processes. Those affected by technological systems should have a voice in how they function and evolve.
### Benefits to Civil Society
### Benefits to civil society
Independent technology creates substantial benefits for civil society organizations and the communities they serve:
@@ -99,11 +101,11 @@ Independent technology creates substantial benefits for civil society organizati
Most importantly, independent technology simply works better for the specific needs of civil society. The quality can be higher because it's designed for use rather than for market dominance or data extraction.
## The Path Forward: Building Digital Commons
## The path forward: building digital commons
Building viable alternatives to corporate-controlled technology requires both technical and social infrastructure. We need robust, accessible tools and the organizational structures to sustain them.
### Technical Foundations
### Technical foundations
The technical foundations of digital commons include:
@@ -119,7 +121,7 @@ The technical foundations of digital commons include:
These technical elements aren't merely features but fundamental design principles that shape what technology can and cannot do, who it serves, and how power flows within digital systems.
### Social Foundations
### Social foundations
Technical infrastructure alone is insufficient; we also need social structures to support and sustain independent technology:
@@ -135,11 +137,11 @@ Technical infrastructure alone is insufficient; we also need social structures t
The social dimension of independent technology is not secondary but fundamental to its success. Technical solutions divorced from community governance and capacity building will inevitably drift toward centralization and exploitation.
## Artificial Intelligence: A Critical Inflection Point
## Artificial intelligence: a critical inflection point
The rapid development of artificial intelligence represents both a profound challenge and a potential opportunity for digital self-determination. How AI evolves in the coming years will shape the balance of power in digital spaces for decades to come.
### The Challenge
### The challenge of AI
AI development currently reinforces centralization and inequality:
@@ -155,7 +157,7 @@ AI development currently reinforces centralization and inequality:
These trends threaten to create a new era of technological dependency more profound than any we've seen before, where a few entities control the fundamental tools of knowledge work, cultural production, and computational reasoning.
### The Opportunity
### The opportunity of AI
Despite these challenges, AI also presents significant opportunities for digital self-determination:
@@ -171,40 +173,32 @@ Despite these challenges, AI also presents significant opportunities for digital
The path we choose with AI—toward further centralization or toward democratization—will significantly shape the future of digital self-determination. By supporting open, efficient, and community-governed approaches to AI, we can ensure that these powerful tools enhance rather than undermine human agency and collective well-being.
## Case Study: Wild Cloud
## Case study: Wild Cloud
The Civil Society Technology Foundation's Wild Cloud project exemplifies the principles of independent technology in practice. This reference implementation demonstrates how civil society organizations can regain digital sovereignty through practical, accessible tools.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation's [Wild Cloud project](/projects/wild-cloud/) exemplifies the principles of independent technology in practice. This reference implementation demonstrates how civil society can regain digital self-determination through practical, accessible tools.
Wild Cloud provides:
Wild Cloud enables individuals, communities, and organizations to run their own email, calendar, file storage, website, and collaboration tools on infrastructure they control, reducing dependency on corporate platforms. Services under user control ensure sensitive information remains protected from surveillance and exploitation.
- **Self-Hosted Services**: Organizations can run their own email, calendar, file storage, website, and collaboration tools on infrastructure they control, reducing dependency on corporate platforms.
Despite the complexity of the underlying systems, simplified deployment tools make it feasible for organizations with limited technical capacity to set up and maintain their own infrastructure. A network of practitioners provides documentation, troubleshooting assistance, and ongoing development, ensuring that organizations aren't alone in their journey toward digital self-determination.
- **Privacy by Design**: All services prioritize data minimization, encryption, and user control, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected from surveillance and exploitation.
Wild Cloud services support open standards and federation protocols, allowing organizations to communicate with others while maintaining their autonomy and control. This practical approach to digital self-determination demonstrates that independence from corporate platforms is not merely theoretical but achievable with current technology and modest resources. By making these tools more accessible and providing support for their adoption, we create pathways to broader digital self-determination.
- **Simplified Deployment**: Despite the complexity of the underlying systems, simplified deployment tools make it feasible for organizations with limited technical capacity to set up and maintain their own infrastructure.
- **Community Support**: A network of practitioners provides documentation, troubleshooting assistance, and ongoing development, ensuring that organizations aren't alone in their journey toward digital self-determination.
- **Federation**: All services support open standards and federation protocols, allowing organizations to communicate with others while maintaining their autonomy and control.
This practical approach to digital sovereignty demonstrates that independence from corporate platforms is not merely theoretical but achievable with current technology and modest resources. By making these tools more accessible and providing support for their adoption, we create pathways to broader digital self-determination.
## Conclusion: A Call to Action
## A call to action
The choice is not between technology and its absence, but between technology that serves its users and technology that serves other masters. Civil society requires digital tools that enhance rather than undermine its core values of autonomy, cooperation, and democratic governance.
Independent technology is not a luxury or a theoretical preferenceit is a practical necessity for maintaining the conditions that make civil society possible. When our digital infrastructure is captured by commercial or state interests, the spaces for independent association, expression, and collective action narrow dangerously.
Independent technology is not a luxury or a theoretical preference, it is a practical necessity for maintaining the conditions that make civil society possible. When our digital infrastructure is captured by commercial or state interests, the spaces for independent association, expression, and collective action narrow dangerously.
By investing in independent technology, we create the possibility of digital spaces that reflect and reinforce the values of civil society rather than market or state power. This is not merely a technical challenge but a social and political imperative that requires both visionary thinking and practical action.
The path forward requires:
1. **Individual Action**: Moving personal and organizational data to self-hosted or community-governed platforms
2. **Collective Investment**: Supporting the development and maintenance of digital commons through funding, contribution, and advocacy
3. **Policy Reform**: Advancing regulatory frameworks that limit surveillance, protect privacy, and ensure interoperability
4. **Educational Initiatives**: Building technical literacy and capacity for digital self-determination
5. **Alternative Models**: Developing and demonstrating viable alternatives to the current dominant paradigms
1. **Individual Action**: Moving personal and organizational data to self-hosted or community-governed platforms.
2. **Collective Investment**: Supporting the development and maintenance of digital commons through funding, contribution, and advocacy.
3. **Policy Reform**: Advancing regulatory frameworks that limit surveillance, protect privacy, and ensure interoperability.
4. **Educational Initiatives**: Building technical literacy and capacity for digital self-determination.
5. **Alternative Models**: Developing and demonstrating viable alternatives to the current dominant paradigms.
An open Internet is a human right. Our digital commons—the shared spaces, tools, and resources that enable connection, creation, and collective action—must be protected from capture and enclosure, whether by corporate monopolies or authoritarian states.
An open Internet is a human right. Our digital commons must be protected from capture and enclosure, whether by corporate monopolies or authoritarian states.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation invites individuals, organizations, and communities to join in building and maintaining the digital commons our shared future requires. By reclaiming control over our technological infrastructure, we take a crucial step toward a more just, democratic, and flourishing society.

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---
title: Position Statements
date: 2025-07-06
weight: 60
featureImageCaption: "Photo by <a href=\"https://unsplash.com/@nasa?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash\">NASA</a> on <a href=\"https://unsplash.com/photos/satellite-view-of-earths-surface-_SFJhRPzJHs?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash\">Unsplash</a>"
---
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) holds the following positions regarding technology, digital rights, and civil society. These statements represent our core beliefs and guide our work.

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---
title: Why Digital Sovereignty Matters
date: 2025-07-06
---
## What Is Digital Sovereignty?
Digital sovereignty is the ability of individuals, communities, and organizations to exercise meaningful control over their digital lives. It means having genuine authority over your data, the software you use, and the infrastructure that powers your online activities.
True digital sovereignty includes:
- **Data control**: Determining what information you share, with whom, and under what conditions
- **Software freedom**: Using, examining, modifying, and sharing the code that runs your digital tools
- **Infrastructure ownership**: Having the ability to operate your own servers and services
- **Knowledge access**: Understanding how your technology works and being able to make informed choices
- **Governance participation**: Having a voice in how digital systems are designed and regulated
Digital sovereignty exists on a spectrum from complete dependency to full autonomy. The Civil Society Technology Foundation works toward shifting the balance away from centralized control and toward individual and community empowerment.
## Why Sovereignty Is Under Threat
Most people today have very little digital sovereignty. Consider your typical online experience:
- Your personal information is collected, analyzed, and monetized by corporations without meaningful consent
- The software you use is controlled by distant companies that can change terms, features, or access at any time
- Your content and connections depend on platforms that can censor, amplify, or derank what you share
- Critical services like email, calendars, and file storage are hosted on corporate infrastructure that you cannot inspect or control
- Algorithms shape what you see and how you communicate in ways designed to maximize corporate profit
This lack of sovereignty is not accidental—it's the result of business models and regulatory environments that incentivize centralization and data extraction. The trend toward concentration has accelerated as digital technology has become essential to nearly every aspect of modern life.
## Why Digital Sovereignty Matters for Individuals
For individuals, digital sovereignty affects fundamental aspects of daily life:
### Privacy and Security
Without digital sovereignty, your personal information is vulnerable:
- Your browsing history, location data, and private communications become corporate assets
- Intimate details of your life can be exposed through data breaches or surveillance
- Your digital footprint creates a permanent record that can be used against you
With digital sovereignty, you can:
- Determine what information you share and with whom
- Use encryption and privacy-preserving tools as a matter of course
- Maintain boundaries between different aspects of your digital life
### Personal Autonomy
Without digital sovereignty, your choices are constrained:
- Algorithms shape what information you see and what options seem available
- Design patterns nudge you toward behaviors that benefit platforms, not yourself
- Essential tasks increasingly require using services that compromise your privacy
With digital sovereignty, you gain freedom:
- Make decisions based on diverse information sources you've chosen
- Use tools designed to serve your needs rather than exploit your attention
- Participate online without surrendering your rights or dignity
### Economic Security
Without digital sovereignty, you face growing vulnerabilities:
- Skills and livelihoods become dependent on proprietary platforms
- Your access to economic opportunities can be arbitrarily restricted
- The value you create online is captured primarily by platform owners
With digital sovereignty, you build resilience:
- Develop portable skills that aren't tied to specific corporate platforms
- Create and connect through systems you help govern
- Participate in cooperative economic models that distribute value more equitably
## Why Digital Sovereignty Matters for Communities
Communities—from local neighborhoods to identity groups to civil society organizations—face particular challenges in the digital age:
### Community Autonomy
Without digital sovereignty, communities lose self-determination:
- Community governance gets usurped by platform rules and algorithms
- Local knowledge and context get flattened by global platforms
- Community resources flow to distant corporations rather than circulating locally
With digital sovereignty, communities thrive:
- Design digital spaces that reflect local values and needs
- Maintain community standards and practices without corporate override
- Build digital infrastructure as a community asset
### Resilience Against Censorship
Without digital sovereignty, communities face silencing:
- Platform policies can restrict legitimate speech, especially from marginalized groups
- Arbitrary enforcement affects those with the least power most severely
- Commercial content moderation cannot reflect the nuance of community standards
With digital sovereignty, communities maintain their voice:
- Run their own communication infrastructure resistant to external censorship
- Develop community-appropriate content moderation
- Create fallback channels that cannot be easily blocked
### Collective Memory
Without digital sovereignty, community history becomes precarious:
- When platforms shut down, they take community archives with them
- Algorithmic sorting buries historically important content
- Corporate priorities determine what gets preserved
With digital sovereignty, cultural continuity strengthens:
- Communities maintain their own archives and historical records
- Knowledge transfer between generations happens on community terms
- Digital artifacts remain accessible even as technologies change
## Why Digital Sovereignty Matters for Civil Society
For civil society organizations—the non-profit and non-governmental bodies that form the backbone of democratic society—digital sovereignty is particularly crucial:
### Independence from Corporate Control
Without digital sovereignty, civil society becomes compromised:
- NGOs must accept surveillance and data extraction to use essential tools
- Advocacy organizations depend on platforms that may not share their values
- Corporate philanthropy shapes which digital infrastructure gets built
With digital sovereignty, civil society maintains integrity:
- Organizations use tools aligned with their mission and values
- Advocacy can proceed without platform-imposed limitations
- Infrastructure development responds to community needs, not market incentives
### Operational Security
Without digital sovereignty, organizations face serious risks:
- Sensitive communications and data reside on vulnerable commercial platforms
- Critical workflows depend on services that can be withdrawn without notice
- Organization data becomes integrated into commercial AI training sets
With digital sovereignty, operations become more secure:
- Organizations maintain control over sensitive information
- Communication channels resist surveillance
- Infrastructure resilience protects against disruption
### Ethical Alignment
Without digital sovereignty, civil society faces contradictions:
- Organizations advocating for rights often use tools that undermine those rights
- Digital workflows can contradict organizational values
- Resource dependencies compromise advocacy positions
With digital sovereignty, values and practices align:
- Technology choices reflect and reinforce organizational principles
- Digital infrastructure embodies the world organizations are working to create
- Consistency between means and ends strengthens moral authority
## The Path to Digital Sovereignty
Achieving greater digital sovereignty isn't an all-or-nothing proposition. It's a journey with practical steps that individuals and organizations can take:
### For Individuals
1. **Start with awareness**: Learn how your current tools work and what alternatives exist
2. **Make incremental changes**: Replace proprietary services with open alternatives one by one
3. **Join communities of practice**: Connect with others on similar journeys
4. **Develop technical literacy**: Build skills to maintain more of your own technology
5. **Support and advocate**: Contribute to projects and policies that promote digital sovereignty
### For Organizations
1. **Audit current dependencies**: Understand where you lack digital sovereignty
2. **Prioritize critical systems**: Focus first on communications and sensitive data
3. **Invest in capacity**: Build technical skills within your organization
4. **Build community infrastructure**: Partner with similar organizations to share resources
5. **Center sovereignty in planning**: Make digital autonomy a strategic priority
The Civil Society Technology Foundation's Wild Cloud project provides a reference implementation for organizations seeking to regain digital sovereignty. It demonstrates that practical steps toward greater independence are possible today, even with limited resources.
## Conclusion
Digital sovereignty isn't a luxury—it's increasingly essential for meaningful participation in society, for the health of communities, and for the independence of civil society. As digital technology becomes more deeply embedded in every aspect of our lives, the question of who controls that technology becomes more urgent.
The challenges are significant, but practical alternatives exist. By taking incremental steps toward greater sovereignty, we can build a digital future that enhances rather than undermines human agency, community resilience, and democratic values.
Digital sovereignty matters because it determines whether technology will serve as a tool of liberation or a mechanism of control. The choice between these futures is still ours to make—if we act with purpose and clarity about what's at stake.

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---
title: Contribute
---
{{< lead >}}
Help us create a strong and lasting technical foundation for Civil Society.
{{< /lead >}}
The Civil Society Technology Foundation is a community-driven organization that relies on the support of individuals and organizations who share our vision of digital sovereignty and independent technology. There are many ways you can contribute to our mission:
### 1. Financial Contributions
Your financial support is crucial for sustaining our work and expanding our impact. You can make a one-time donation or set up a recurring contribution to help us build and maintain the infrastructure, tools, and resources needed for civil society organizations to thrive in the digital age.
Civil Society Technology Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit incorporated in Washington state. All contributions are tax-deductible.
### 2. Volunteer Your Time
We welcome volunteers who can contribute their skills and expertise to our projects. Whether you're a developer, designer, writer, or educator, your involvement can make a significant difference. Join our community and help us create educational resources, develop software, or organize events.
### 3. Spread the Word
Share our mission and resources with your network. Help raise awareness about the importance of digital sovereignty and independent technology for civil society. Follow us on social media, share our content, and engage in discussions about these critical issues.
### 4. Collaborate with Us
We are always looking for partnerships with like-minded organizations and individuals. If you have a project or initiative that aligns with our mission, let's explore how we can work together to advance digital sovereignty and empower civil society.
### 5. Join Our Community
Engage with us through our community forums, mailing lists, and events. Share your ideas, feedback, and experiences. By participating in our community, you can help shape the future of independent technology for civil society.
### 6. Stay Informed
Subscribe to our newsletter and follow our blog to stay updated on our latest projects, resources, and events. Being informed is the first step toward active participation in the movement for digital sovereignty.
### 7. Advocate for Policy Change
Engage in advocacy efforts to promote policies that support digital sovereignty and independent technology. Your voice can help influence decision-makers and raise awareness about the importance of these issues.
### 8. Donate Your Expertise
If you have specialized knowledge or skills that could benefit our projects, consider donating your expertise. Whether it's legal advice, technical guidance, or strategic planning, your contributions can help us achieve our goals more effectively.
### 9. Become a Member
Join the Civil Society Technology Foundation as a member to support our mission and gain access to exclusive resources, events, and networking opportunities. Your membership helps us strengthen the community and advance our work in digital sovereignty.

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---
title: Contribute
summary: "Join us in building a strong technical foundation for civil society. Learn how you can contribute through donations, volunteering, and community engagement."
date: 2025-01-15
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
layout: single
---
{{< lead >}}
Help us create a strong and lasting technological foundation for civil society.
{{< /lead >}}
The Civil Society Technology Foundation is a community-driven, non-profit organization that relies on the support of individuals and organizations who share our vision of digital self-determination and independent technology.
## Volunteer opportunities
The CSTF is actively seeking volunteers to help us with a variety of tasks, including:
- Board membership
- Community organizing
- Technical development
- Educational outreach
- Fundraising and marketing
- Strategic planning
- ... and more!
You can see a description of all of the [open positions](./positions/) we are currently recruiting for.
{{< button href="./positions/" >}}
See open positions
{{< /button >}}
## Direct funding
We welcome donations of all sizes to support our mission.
CSTF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and your contributions are tax-deductible.
Donate via [our Pledge page](https://www.pledge.to/organizations/99-1604946/civil-society-technology-foundation):
{{< button href="https://www.pledge.to/organizations/99-1604946/civil-society-technology-foundation" >}}
Donate now to the CSTF
{{< /button >}}

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---
title: Open Positions
summary: "Join CSTF's leadership team in key roles spanning technology development, education, community building, and organizational growth."
date: 2025-01-15
cardView: true
---
{{< lead >}}
Help us advance digital self-determination by joining CSTF's leadership team in key volunteer roles across technology development, education, community building, and organizational growth.
{{< /lead >}}
The Civil Society Technology Foundation is actively seeking dedicated volunteers to fill leadership positions that are essential to our mission of empowering individuals and communities to reclaim control over their digital lives through open-source, self-hosted technologies.
We're looking for people who share our commitment to transparent governance, community-driven development, and building practical alternatives to centralized platforms. Whether your expertise is in technology, education, marketing, fundraising, or community organizing, there are meaningful ways to contribute to our vision of a technologically empowered civil society.
All positions are currently volunteer-based and may transition to paid roles as we secure funding and grow our organizational capacity. We operate with distributed leadership and transparent decision-making processes that reflect the autonomy and community empowerment we seek to enable through our work.

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---
title: "CSTF Board Member"
summary: "Provide governance leadership for CSTF's mission of digital self-determination through strategic oversight, fiduciary responsibility, and community representation."
date: 2025-08-23
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
---
{{< lead >}}
Join CSTF's Board of Directors to provide strategic governance, ensure fiduciary responsibility, and represent our community's commitment to digital self-determination through transparent, accountable leadership.
{{< /lead >}}
## Position Overview
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) seeks dedicated Board Members to provide governance leadership for our mission of empowering individuals and communities to achieve digital self-determination through open-source, self-hosted technologies. Board members combine traditional nonprofit governance responsibilities with our commitment to transparent, community-driven decision-making.
As a US 501(c)(3) non-profit charity incorporated in Washington State, CSTF operates across technology development, education, community engagement, and civil society collaboration. Board members provide strategic oversight while ensuring our governance reflects our principles of transparency, distributed leadership, and community empowerment.
## About CSTF Governance
CSTF is committed to building strong partnerships within the vibrant ecosystem of civil society organizations while maintaining independent, principled governance. Our board operates according to our core values:
- **Transparent Governance**: All governance must be visible, accountable, and auditable
- **Community-Driven Leadership**: Board decisions should reflect and serve community needs and values
- **Tools Over Policy**: Focus oversight on building practical alternatives rather than advocacy positions
- **Self-determination by Design**: Ensure organizational governance embodies the autonomy we seek to enable
- **Contribution Defines Membership**: Recognize diverse forms of contribution to CSTF's mission
Our governance model balances legal requirements for nonprofit board oversight with our commitment to distributed leadership and community participation.
## Primary Responsibilities
### Fiduciary & Legal Oversight
- Ensure CSTF's compliance with 501(c)(3) requirements and Washington State nonprofit law
- Provide oversight of organizational finances, budgets, and resource allocation
- Review and approve major organizational policies, partnerships, and strategic initiatives
- Maintain corporate records and fulfill legal reporting requirements for nonprofit status
### Strategic Governance & Direction
- Provide strategic oversight for CSTF's mission advancement across technology, education, and community initiatives
- Guide organizational development as CSTF evolves from volunteer-led startup to sustainable institution
- Ensure coordination and coherence between diverse CSTF programs including Wild Cloud development
- Balance immediate operational needs with long-term vision and sustainability
### Community Representation & Accountability
- Represent the interests and values of CSTF's broader community in governance decisions
- Ensure board decision-making processes reflect our principles of transparency and community participation
- Maintain accountability to CSTF's mission, principles, and community stakeholders
- Foster connections between board governance and grassroots community engagement
### Partnership Development & Strategic Alliances
- Guide CSTF's relationships with aligned civil society organizations, digital rights groups, and open-source communities
- Evaluate partnership opportunities that advance CSTF's mission while preserving organizational independence
- Provide strategic oversight for collaborative initiatives, shared projects, and ecosystem coordination
- Ensure partnerships reflect CSTF's principles of transparent governance and community empowerment
### Organizational Development & Support
- Support executive leadership and volunteer coordinators in achieving organizational objectives
- Provide expertise, networks, and guidance to advance CSTF's mission and effectiveness
- Participate in fundraising efforts and resource development appropriate to board member capabilities
- Advocate for CSTF's mission within professional and community networks
## Required Qualifications
- **Mission Alignment**: Deep commitment to digital self-determination, open-source principles, and community empowerment
- **Governance Experience**: Understanding of nonprofit board governance, fiduciary responsibilities, or similar leadership roles
- **Strategic Thinking**: Ability to provide strategic oversight while respecting operational autonomy and community input
- **Collaborative Leadership**: Experience with consensus-building, transparent decision-making, and distributed leadership models
- **Time Commitment**: Ability to dedicate approximately 5-10 hours per month to board responsibilities
## Preferred Qualifications
- **Civil Society Experience**: Background in nonprofit governance, community organizing, or civil society leadership
- **Technology Expertise**: Understanding of open-source development, self-hosting, digital rights, or technology policy
- **Professional Networks**: Connections within technology, education, philanthropy, or civil society sectors that could benefit CSTF
- **Organizational Development**: Experience with organizational growth, strategic planning, or nonprofit management
- **Global Perspective**: Understanding of international digital rights issues and global civil society networks
## Key Areas of Board Expertise
CSTF seeks board members who collectively provide expertise across these critical areas:
### Nonprofit Governance & Management
- **Legal Compliance**: Understanding of 501(c)(3) requirements, governance best practices, and regulatory compliance
- **Financial Oversight**: Nonprofit financial management, budgeting, and fiscal responsibility
- **Risk Management**: Organizational risk assessment, policy development, and crisis management
- **Strategic Planning**: Long-term organizational planning and mission-driven strategic development
### Technology & Digital Rights
- **Open Source Ecosystem**: Understanding of open-source development, community governance, and sustainability models
- **Digital Civil Liberties**: Knowledge of privacy, surveillance, and digital rights issues affecting civil society
- **Technology Policy**: Understanding of technology regulation, standards development, and policy implications
- **Infrastructure Development**: Experience with technology infrastructure, self-hosting, or distributed systems
### Civil Society & Community Engagement
- **Community Organizing**: Experience building and sustaining mission-driven communities and movements
- **Educational Initiatives**: Background in education, training, or capacity building within community contexts
- **Partnership Development**: Experience with coalition building, collaborative initiatives, and partnership management
- **Global Civil Society**: Understanding of international civil society networks and cross-cultural collaboration
### Organizational Development & Resource Mobilization
- **Fundraising & Development**: Experience with nonprofit fundraising, grant writing, or resource development
- **Organizational Growth**: Managing organizational transitions, scaling operations, and maintaining mission alignment
- **Leadership Development**: Supporting distributed leadership, volunteer management, and succession planning
- **Impact Measurement**: Assessing organizational effectiveness and community impact
## Board Expectations & Commitments
### Meeting Participation
- **Regular Board Meetings**: Monthly virtual board meetings (approximately 2 hours)
- **Annual Strategic Sessions**: In-person or extended virtual strategic planning meetings
- **Committee Work**: Participation in board committees based on expertise and organizational needs
- **Community Engagement**: Regular participation in CSTF community forums and activities
### Decision-Making & Process
- **Transparent Deliberation**: All board discussions and decisions conducted transparently with community visibility
- **Consensus Building**: Collaborative decision-making that seeks community input and builds sustainable agreements
- **Principled Positions**: Maintain alignment with CSTF principles even when facing difficult decisions
- **Accountability**: Accept responsibility for board decisions and their impact on CSTF's mission and community
### Partnership & Ecosystem Engagement
- **Strategic Relationships**: Build and maintain relationships with aligned organizations in the digital rights, open-source, and civil society ecosystem
- **Coalition Participation**: Represent CSTF in collaborative initiatives, coalitions, and shared advocacy efforts
- **Partnership Evaluation**: Assess potential partnerships for mission alignment, mutual benefit, and respect for CSTF's independence
- **Ecosystem Coordination**: Support CSTF's role in broader movements for digital self-determination while maintaining organizational autonomy
### Resource Development & Advocacy
- **Network Engagement**: Leverage professional and personal networks to advance CSTF's mission
- **Fundraising Support**: Participate in resource development efforts appropriate to individual capacity and expertise
- **Mission Advocacy**: Represent CSTF's mission and values in professional and community contexts
- **Expertise Sharing**: Provide specialized knowledge and skills to support CSTF's operational effectiveness
## Organizational Culture & Values
Board members must demonstrate deep alignment with CSTF's core principles:
- **Healthy Ecosystems Win**: Measure success by genuine utility to communities, not organizational metrics
- **Interoperability via Consent**: Support collaborative approaches that respect autonomy and voluntary participation
- **Critical Adoption over Blind Use**: Promote informed decision-making and transparent communication about trade-offs
- **Democratized AI**: Ensure AI and emerging technology governance serves community benefit over corporate control
- **Contribution Defines Membership**: Recognize and value diverse forms of contribution to CSTF's mission
## Compensation & Structure
This is an unpaid volunteer position consistent with standard nonprofit board service. Board members serve three-year terms with possibility of renewal. CSTF covers reasonable expenses for board members to participate in strategic planning sessions and organizational events.
## How to Apply
CSTF seeks board members who combine governance expertise with deep commitment to our mission of digital self-determination. We welcome applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds who share our vision of transparent, community-driven technology development.
To express interest in board service:
1. Join our community at [forum.civilsociety.dev](https://forum.civilsociety.dev) to engage with our work and community
2. Review our [principles and mission](/about/) and current initiatives to understand our strategic context
3. Submit a statement as a reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-board-members-help-guide-cstfs-mission-of-digital-self-determination/17) (or message the post's author) describing:
- Your alignment with CSTF's mission and principles
- Relevant experience with nonprofit governance, technology, or civil society leadership
- Specific expertise and networks you would contribute to board effectiveness
- Your vision for CSTF's role in advancing digital self-determination
4. Provide references who can speak to your governance experience and mission alignment
We operate with transparent governance and welcome community input on board composition and candidate evaluation.
## Board Diversity & Inclusion
CSTF is committed to building a board that reflects the diversity of communities we serve and the global nature of digital civil society. We particularly welcome applications from:
- Individuals from underrepresented communities in technology and nonprofit leadership
- Leaders from the Global South and regions with emerging digital civil society movements
- People with disabilities and those advocating for accessible technology
- Young leaders and emerging voices in digital rights and community organizing
- Individuals bringing diverse professional backgrounds and community perspectives
## Contact
For questions about board service or the application process, [reply to this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-board-members-help-guide-cstfs-mission-of-digital-self-determination/17).
Join us in providing governance leadership that advances digital self-determination through principled, transparent, and community-accountable organizational stewardship.

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---
title: "CSTF Community Development Manager"
summary: "Build and nurture vibrant communities around digital self-determination, open-source technology, and civil society empowerment."
date: 2025-08-23
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
---
{{< lead >}}
Lead community building efforts to create thriving networks of individuals and organizations committed to digital self-determination and technological autonomy.
{{< /lead >}}
## Position Overview
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) seeks a dynamic Community Development Manager to build, nurture, and grow our global community of technologists, civil society advocates, and organizations working toward digital self-determination.
As a volunteer-led US 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, CSTF empowers individuals and communities to reclaim control over their digital lives through open-source, self-hosted technologies. Our Community Development Manager will be instrumental in creating pathways for meaningful participation and collaboration within our ecosystem.
## About CSTF
The Civil Society Technology Foundation operates on the principle that digital technology is, in its essence, a common good. We collaborate to remove barriers to creating, sharing, and using software through:
- **Open software development** - Building tools like our flagship Wild Cloud project
- **Educational resources** - Creating accessible learning materials for digital autonomy
- **Community engagement** - Fostering networks of technologists and civil society advocates
Our work is guided by core principles including self-determination by design, transparent governance, contribution-based membership, and the belief that healthy ecosystems win through genuine utility to communities.
## Primary Responsibilities
### Community Platform Management
- Manage and moderate our community forum at [forum.civilsociety.dev](https://forum.civilsociety.dev)
- Create welcoming onboarding experiences for new community members
- Facilitate productive discussions around digital self-determination, open-source development, and civil society technology
- Develop community guidelines that reflect CSTF's principles of transparent governance and consensual participation
### Community Growth & Engagement
- Develop and implement strategies to grow active participation in CSTF communities
- Create programs to recognize and celebrate community contributions across multiple forms (code, documentation, advocacy, education)
- Organize virtual and in-person events, including workshops, meetups, and conferences
- Foster connections between community members with complementary skills and interests
### Partnership & Ecosystem Development
- Build relationships with aligned organizations in the open-source, digital rights, and civil society spaces
- Facilitate partnerships and collaborative projects between CSTF and other community organizations
- Represent CSTF at conferences, events, and in other community spaces
- Create bridges between technical and non-technical community members
### Content & Communication
- Develop community-generated content including success stories, case studies, and member spotlights
- Coordinate community contributions to educational resources and documentation
- Manage community communication channels and ensure information flows effectively
- Support community-driven initiatives and amplify member achievements
## Required Qualifications
- **Community Experience**: 3+ years of community management or development experience, preferably in technology or civil society contexts
- **Communication Skills**: Excellent written and verbal communication abilities for diverse audiences
- **Facilitation**: Proven ability to moderate discussions, resolve conflicts, and facilitate productive collaboration
- **Mission Alignment**: Deep commitment to digital self-determination, open-source principles, and community empowerment
- **Cultural Competency**: Experience working with diverse, global communities and understanding of different participation styles
## Preferred Qualifications
- **Open Source Background**: Experience with open-source communities and development processes
- **Technical Understanding**: Familiarity with self-hosted infrastructure, federated systems, and digital privacy concepts
- **Event Organization**: Experience organizing community events, both virtual and in-person
- **Civil Society Knowledge**: Understanding of civil society organizations, digital rights advocacy, or community organizing
- **Multilingual**: Ability to communicate in multiple languages to support global community growth
## Key Success Metrics
- Growth in active community participation and member retention
- Increased quality and frequency of community-generated content and contributions
- Successful community-driven initiatives and collaborative projects
- Strong community feedback scores and satisfaction metrics
- Effective onboarding and integration of new community members
- Development of community leadership and distributed governance structures
## Community Engagement Strategies
### Contribution Recognition
- Implement systems to recognize diverse forms of contribution beyond just code
- Create pathways for community members to take on leadership roles
- Celebrate achievements in ways that align with our principle that "contribution defines membership"
### Educational Community Building
- Organize learning circles around digital self-determination topics
- Facilitate peer-to-peer teaching and mentorship programs
- Create study groups for community members exploring self-hosted technologies
### Advocacy & Outreach
- Support community members in becoming advocates for digital rights and technological autonomy
- Coordinate community participation in relevant conferences and events
- Facilitate community input on CSTF policy positions and public statements
## Organizational Culture & Values
This role requires deep alignment with CSTF's core principles:
- **Contribution Defines Membership**: Understanding that participation is earned through action and multiple forms of contribution should be valued
- **Transparent Governance**: All community governance must be visible, accountable, and auditable
- **Interoperability via Consent**: Standards and collaboration emerge from alignment, not imposition
- **Healthy Ecosystems Win**: Success measured by genuine utility to communities, not vanity metrics
- **Critical Adoption over Blind Use**: Helping community members make informed choices about technology trade-offs
## Compensation & Structure
This is a volunteer leadership position with the Civil Society Technology Foundation. As we grow and secure funding, this role may transition to a paid position based on organizational capacity and community development success.
## How to Apply
CSTF is committed to building strong, inclusive communities that reflect the diversity of civil society. We welcome applications from individuals with varied backgrounds who share our vision of technological self-determination.
To express interest in this position:
1. Join our community at [forum.civilsociety.dev](https://forum.civilsociety.dev)
2. Review our [principles and mission](/about/) to ensure alignment
3. Introduce yourself in a reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-community-development-manager/19) (or message the post's author) to describing:
4. Participate in ongoing discussions to demonstrate your community engagement style
We operate with transparent, distributed governance and welcome collaborative input on this role's development and community strategy.
## Contact
For questions about this position or CSTF's community development reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-community-development-manager/19).
Join us in building vibrant communities where technology serves people through shared ownership, collaborative development, and mutual support for digital self-determination.

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---
title: "CSTF Education Lead"
summary: "Develop educational resources and outreach programs to advance digital literacy and self-determination through accessible learning materials."
date: 2025-08-23
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
---
{{< lead >}}
Lead the development of comprehensive educational resources and outreach programs that empower individuals and communities with the knowledge needed for digital self-determination.
{{< /lead >}}
## Position Overview
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) seeks an innovative Education Lead to develop, curate, and expand our educational resources and outreach programs. This role is central to our mission of empowering individuals and communities to reclaim digital self-determination through accessible, practical education.
As a volunteer-led US 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, CSTF believes that access to knowledge and information is essential for empowering communities and fostering technological independence. Our Education Lead will create pathways for learners to understand, create, modify, and maintain the technologies they rely on.
## About CSTF
The Civil Society Technology Foundation operates on the principle that digital technology is, in its essence, a common good. We collaborate to remove barriers to creating, sharing, and using software through:
- **Open software development** - Building tools like our flagship Wild Cloud project
- **Educational resources** - Creating accessible learning materials for digital autonomy
- **Community engagement** - Fostering networks of technologists and civil society advocates
Our educational philosophy centers on "practical autonomy" - the capacity of users to understand, create, modify, and maintain the technologies they rely on, rather than remaining dependent on others.
## Primary Responsibilities
### Educational Content Development
- Develop and maintain educational materials in our [learning library](/learning) focused on civics, digital self-determination, and open-source technologies.
- Create learning paths for different skill levels from beginner to advanced
- Ensure content reflects CSTF principles of self-determination and open-source values
### Curriculum Design & Learning Strategy
- Design comprehensive learning curricula that build practical skills for digital autonomy
- Create assessment frameworks and hands-on exercises that reinforce learning objectives
- Develop mentorship programs connecting learners with experienced community members
- Structure learning materials to support both self-directed and group learning environments
### Educational Platform Management
- Manage educational content for [civilsociety.dev](https://civilsociety.dev/learning)
- Ensure content accessibility across different learning styles and technical backgrounds
- Implement feedback systems to continuously improve educational effectiveness
- Coordinate with web development team on educational platform features and improvements
### Outreach & Program Development
- Develop outreach strategies to reach individuals and communities seeking digital literacy
- Create workshop curricula for virtual and in-person educational events
- Build partnerships with educational institutions, libraries, and community organizations
- Develop train-the-trainer programs to expand educational reach through community educators
## Required Qualifications
- **Educational Experience**: 3+ years of experience in educational content development, instructional design, or technical training
- **Technical Knowledge**: Strong understanding of open-source technologies, self-hosted infrastructure, and digital literacy concepts
- **Communication Skills**: Excellent ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences with varying technical backgrounds
- **Mission Alignment**: Deep commitment to digital self-determination, open-source principles, and democratizing access to technical knowledge
- **Learning Design**: Experience with curriculum development, learning assessment, and educational best practices
## Preferred Qualifications
- **Technical Background**: Hands-on experience with Linux, Git, server administration, software development, or related technical skills
- **Adult Education**: Experience with adult learning principles and non-traditional educational environments
- **Open Source Community**: Active participation in open-source communities and understanding of collaborative development
- **Multilingual**: Ability to develop or coordinate multilingual educational content
- **Digital Rights Knowledge**: Understanding of digital civil liberties, privacy, and technological sovereignty issues
## Key Success Metrics
- Growth in usage and engagement with educational content across both websites
- Positive learner feedback and demonstrated skill acquisition through assessments
- Increased community participation in educational programs and workshops
- Development of sustainable learning pathways from beginner to contributor level
- Creation of train-the-trainer programs that expand educational reach
- Integration of educational content with Wild Cloud development and community needs
## Educational Content Areas
### Core Technical Skills
- **Linux Administration**: Command-line proficiency, system administration, server management
- **Version Control**: Git workflows, collaborative development, open-source contribution practices
- **Networking & Internet**: Protocol understanding, self-hosting fundamentals, federated systems
- **Software Development**: Programming principles, debugging, testing, and documentation practices
### Digital Autonomy Concepts
- **Self-Hosting**: Setting up and maintaining personal servers and services
- **Privacy & Security**: Digital privacy practices, encryption, and security fundamentals
- **Open Source Philosophy**: Understanding licenses, community governance, and contribution models
- **AI & Language Models**: Critical AI literacy, understanding model capabilities and limitations
### Community & Governance
- **Collaborative Tools**: Using and administering community platforms, forums, and communication tools
- **Digital Citizenship**: Understanding rights and responsibilities in digital communities
- **Transparent Governance**: Participating in and facilitating community decision-making processes
## Organizational Culture & Values
This role requires deep alignment with CSTF's core principles:
- **Critical Adoption over Blind Use**: Helping learners understand technology trade-offs and make informed choices
- **Self-determination by Design**: Ensuring educational content empowers user autonomy and control
- **Open Source Always**: All educational materials must be freely shareable and modifiable
- **Tools Over Policy**: Focusing on practical skills rather than advocacy or policy positions
- **Democratized AI**: Making AI concepts accessible and emphasizing community benefit over corporate control
## Compensation & Structure
This is a volunteer leadership position with the Civil Society Technology Foundation. As we grow and secure funding, this role may transition to a paid position based on organizational capacity and educational program success.
## How to Apply
CSTF is committed to making technical knowledge accessible to all who seek digital self-determination. We welcome applications from educators, technologists, and advocates who share our vision of democratized technical education.
To express interest in this position:
1. Join our community at [forum.civilsociety.dev](https://forum.civilsociety.dev)
2. Review our existing [learning materials](/learning/) and [principles](/about/) to ensure alignment
3. Introduce yourself as a reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-education-lead/20/1) (or message the post's author) and share your vision for technical education and digital literacy in civil society contexts
We operate with transparent, distributed governance and welcome collaborative input on educational strategy and content development.
## Contact
For questions about this position or CSTF's educational initiatives, [reply to this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-education-lead/20/1).
Join us in building educational pathways that empower individuals and communities to achieve genuine digital self-determination through practical knowledge and hands-on skills.

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---
title: "CSTF Fund Development Manager"
summary: "Lead fundraising efforts for CSTF's mission of digital self-determination through open-source technology and community empowerment."
date: 2025-08-23
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
---
{{< lead >}}
Join us in securing the resources needed to build a strong technical foundation for civil society and advance digital self-determination.
{{< /lead >}}
## Position Overview
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) seeks a passionate Fund Development Manager to lead our fundraising efforts and secure the resources needed to advance our mission of digital self-determination through open-source, self-hosted technologies.
As a global, volunteer-led US 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, CSTF empowers individuals and communities to reclaim control over their digital lives by reducing dependency on centralized platforms and enabling direct control of digital infrastructure and applications.
## About CSTF
The Civil Society Technology Foundation operates on the principle that digital technology is, in its essence, a common good. We collaborate to remove barriers to creating, sharing, and using software through:
- **Open software development** - Building tools like our flagship Wild Cloud project
- **Educational resources** - Creating accessible learning materials for digital autonomy
- **Community engagement** - Fostering networks of technologists and civil society advocates
Our work is guided by core principles including self-determination by design, open source always, self-hosted infrastructure, and transparent governance.
## Primary Responsibilities
### Strategic Fundraising
- Develop and implement comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with CSTF's mission
- Create diversified funding portfolio from individual donors, foundations, and institutional supporters
- Set and achieve annual fundraising goals to support Wild Cloud development and educational initiatives
- Build sustainable revenue streams that respect our principles of community-driven governance
### Grant Writing & Management
- Research and identify grant opportunities from foundations focused on technology, civil society, digital rights, and open-source development
- Write compelling grant proposals that articulate CSTF's unique approach to digital self-determination
- Manage grant reporting, compliance requirements, and renewal processes
- Develop relationships with foundation program officers in relevant areas
### Major Donor Cultivation
- Identify and build relationships with high-net-worth individuals interested in open-source technology and civil liberties
- Develop comprehensive stewardship programs for major donors
- Coordinate board member involvement in donor cultivation and solicitation
- Create recognition programs that align with our transparent governance principles
### Corporate & Partnership Development
- Identify potential corporate sponsors and partners in the technology industry
- Develop strategic partnerships with organizations sharing CSTF's values around open-source and self-hosted infrastructure
- Create sponsorship packages for Wild Cloud and other CSTF initiatives
- Explore collaborative funding opportunities with aligned civil society organizations
## Required Qualifications
- **Experience**: 3-5 years of fundraising experience, preferably with technology-focused nonprofits or organizations working on digital rights
- **Grant Writing**: Proven track record of successful grant writing and foundation relationship management
- **Communication**: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for donor correspondence, proposals, and presentations
- **Technology Understanding**: Basic understanding of open-source technology concepts and digital civil liberties issues
- **Mission Alignment**: Genuine commitment to digital self-determination and community empowerment through technology
## Preferred Qualifications
- **Sector Experience**: Background in technology sector, digital civil liberties, or open-source community
- **International Focus**: Experience with international fundraising and global donor cultivation
- **Nonprofit Expertise**: Knowledge of 501(c)(3) compliance, nonprofit governance, and transparent reporting
- **Technical Knowledge**: Familiarity with self-hosted infrastructure, federated systems, and community-owned technology
- **Network**: Existing relationships within technology philanthropy or digital rights funding communities
## Key Success Metrics
- Achievement of annual fundraising goals and revenue targets
- Diversification of funding sources across individual, foundation, and corporate supporters
- Grant success rate, renewal rates, and multi-year commitments
- Growth in individual donor base and retention rates
- Adequate funding secured for Wild Cloud development milestones
- Support raised for educational resource creation and community programs
## Organizational Culture & Values
This role requires deep alignment with CSTF's core principles:
- **Self-determination by Design**: Understanding that users must own their data and control their computing environment
- **Tools Over Policy**: Prioritizing building alternatives rather than asking for permission
- **Open Source Always**: Commitment to libre software that's free to use, study, modify, and share
- **Transparent Governance**: All governance must be visible, accountable, and auditable
- **Community-Driven**: Recognition that contribution defines membership and value comes from doing
## Compensation & Structure
This is a volunteer leadership position with the Civil Society Technology Foundation. As we grow and secure funding, this role may transition to a paid position based on organizational capacity and fundraising success.
## How to Apply
CSTF is committed to building strong partnerships within the vibrant ecosystem of civil society organizations. We welcome applications from individuals who share our vision of technological self-determination and community empowerment.
To express interest in this position:
1. Join our community at [forum.civilsociety.dev](https://forum.civilsociety.dev)
2. Review our [principles and mission](/about/) to ensure alignment
3. Introduce yourself as a reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-fund-development-manager/18/1) (or message the post's author) and share your interest in fund development for digital civil society
We operate with transparent, distributed governance and welcome collaborative input on this role's development and implementation.
## Contact
For questions about this position or CSTF's fundraising needs, [reply to this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-fund-development-manager/18/1).
Join us in building a future where technology serves people through community ownership, open development, and digital self-determination.

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---
title: "CSTF Marketing Manager"
summary: "Lead strategic marketing and communications efforts to advance CSTF's mission of digital self-determination through authentic, values-aligned outreach."
date: 2025-08-23
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
---
{{< lead >}}
Drive authentic marketing and communications strategies that amplify CSTF's mission while maintaining our commitment to transparency, community-driven growth, and ethical engagement.
{{< /lead >}}
## Position Overview
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) seeks a strategic Marketing Manager who understands how to authentically communicate the importance of digital self-determination to diverse audiences. This role requires balancing traditional marketing effectiveness with our principles of transparent governance, community-driven growth, and ethical technology practices.
As a volunteer-led US 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, CSTF empowers individuals and communities to reclaim control over their digital lives through open-source, self-hosted technologies. Our Marketing Manager will help us reach the people and organizations who most need our tools and educational resources.
## About CSTF
The Civil Society Technology Foundation operates on the principle that digital technology is, in its essence, a common good. We collaborate to remove barriers to creating, sharing, and using software through:
- **Open software development** - Building tools like our flagship Wild Cloud project
- **Educational resources** - Creating accessible learning materials for digital autonomy
- **Community engagement** - Fostering networks of technologists and civil society advocates
Our marketing philosophy emphasizes "healthy ecosystems win" - we measure success by genuine utility to communities, not vanity metrics or engagement-driven approaches that compromise user welfare.
## Primary Responsibilities
### Strategic Communications
- Develop and execute comprehensive marketing strategies aligned with CSTF's principles and mission
- Create compelling messaging that explains digital self-determination concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
- Manage CSTF's public communications across multiple channels while maintaining authentic voice and values
- Coordinate marketing efforts with community development, education, and fundraising initiatives
### Content Marketing & Storytelling
- Develop content strategies that highlight the practical benefits of digital autonomy and self-hosted technologies
- Create and coordinate production of blog posts, case studies, success stories, and educational content
- Tell authentic stories about community members achieving digital self-determination
- Produce content that demonstrates rather than merely advocates for our principles
### Digital Outreach & Platform Management
- Manage CSTF's presence on appropriate digital platforms while respecting our self-determination principles
- Develop strategies for reaching audiences on centralized platforms without compromising our values
- Create pathways for moving audiences from centralized platforms to community-owned spaces
- Balance pragmatic outreach needs with principled technology choices
### Brand Development & Messaging
- Develop and maintain consistent brand messaging that reflects CSTF's values of transparency and community empowerment
- Create marketing materials that are accessible to diverse audiences with varying technical backgrounds
- Ensure all marketing communications align with our principle of "critical adoption over blind use"
- Develop messaging frameworks for Wild Cloud and other CSTF initiatives
## Required Qualifications
- **Marketing Experience**: 3+ years of marketing experience, preferably with technology organizations, nonprofits, or mission-driven companies
- **Values Alignment**: Deep understanding of and commitment to digital rights, open-source principles, and community empowerment
- **Communication Skills**: Excellent written and verbal communication abilities for diverse audiences and contexts
- **Strategic Thinking**: Ability to develop long-term marketing strategies that balance effectiveness with ethical considerations
- **Content Creation**: Experience creating compelling content across multiple formats and platforms
## Preferred Qualifications
- **Open Source Community**: Experience marketing within open-source, privacy-focused, or digital rights communities
- **Nonprofit Marketing**: Understanding of nonprofit marketing constraints, funding communication, and mission-driven messaging
- **Technical Understanding**: Familiarity with self-hosted infrastructure, federated systems, and digital privacy concepts
- **Community-Driven Marketing**: Experience with grassroots marketing, community advocacy, and word-of-mouth strategies
- **Creative Skills**: Ability to create visual content, infographics, or multimedia materials
## Key Success Metrics
- Growth in awareness and understanding of digital self-determination concepts
- Increased engagement with CSTF educational resources and community platforms
- Successful outreach to target audiences including civil society organizations, educational institutions, and privacy-conscious individuals
- Quality of community growth (depth of engagement rather than just numbers)
- Effective communication of Wild Cloud benefits and adoption pathways
- Alignment between marketing messaging and actual community experience
## Marketing Philosophy & Approach
### Authentic Engagement Over Manipulation
- Focus on genuinely useful content rather than engagement-driven tactics
- Respect audience autonomy and decision-making processes
- Avoid dark patterns, manipulative design, or pressure tactics
- Prioritize informed consent over conversion optimization
### Community-Driven Growth
- Amplify community voices and success stories rather than organizational self-promotion
- Create marketing strategies that strengthen rather than extract from communities
- Develop peer-to-peer advocacy programs and word-of-mouth strategies
- Support community members in becoming effective advocates for digital self-determination
### Educational Marketing
- Use marketing as an opportunity to educate about digital rights and technological choices
- Create content that helps audiences understand trade-offs and make informed decisions
- Integrate marketing efforts with educational resources and learning pathways
- Focus on building understanding rather than just awareness
### Transparent Communication
- Practice transparent communication about CSTF's funding, governance, and decision-making
- Be honest about limitations, challenges, and areas for improvement
- Share both successes and failures as learning opportunities for the community
- Maintain accountability to community feedback and input
## Target Audiences
### Primary Audiences
- **Civil society organizations** seeking digital independence and security
- **Privacy-conscious individuals** looking for alternatives to centralized platforms
- **Open-source enthusiasts** interested in contributing to community-owned infrastructure
- **Educators and students** seeking practical digital literacy resources
### Secondary Audiences
- **Small businesses** interested in reducing dependency on big tech platforms
- **Community organizers** needing secure, self-controlled communication tools
- **Technical professionals** wanting to contribute skills to meaningful projects
- **Policy makers** seeking to understand practical alternatives to regulatory approaches
## Organizational Culture & Values
This role requires deep alignment with CSTF's core principles:
- **Healthy Ecosystems Win**: Success measured by genuine utility to communities, not popularity or funding
- **Transparent Governance**: All marketing decisions and strategies should be visible and accountable
- **Tools Over Policy**: Focus marketing on practical solutions rather than advocacy or policy positions
- **Critical Adoption over Blind Use**: Help audiences make informed choices about technology trade-offs
- **Self-determination by Design**: Ensure marketing practices respect user autonomy and consent
## Compensation & Structure
This is a volunteer leadership position with the Civil Society Technology Foundation. As we grow and secure funding, this role may transition to a paid position based on organizational capacity and marketing program success.
## How to Apply
CSTF seeks marketers who understand how to build authentic relationships and communicate complex ideas while maintaining ethical standards. We welcome applications from individuals who share our vision of technology serving communities rather than exploiting them.
To express interest in this position:
1. Join our community at [forum.civilsociety.dev](https://forum.civilsociety.dev)
2. Review our [principles and mission](/about/) to understand our values-based approach
3. Introduce yourself as a reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-marketing-manager/21/1) (or message the post's author) and share your vision for ethical marketing in the digital rights and open-source space
We operate with transparent, distributed governance and welcome collaborative input on marketing strategy and ethical communication practices.
## Contact
For questions about this position or CSTF's marketing initiatives, [reply to this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-marketing-manager/21/1).
Join us in building marketing strategies that respect human agency, strengthen communities, and advance genuine digital self-determination through authentic, transparent communication.

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---
title: "CSTF Strategist"
summary: "Guide CSTF's strategic direction and long-term vision for advancing digital self-determination through coordinated initiatives, partnerships, and organizational development."
date: 2025-08-23
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
---
{{< lead >}}
Lead strategic planning and organizational development to advance CSTF's mission of digital self-determination through coordinated technology development, education, and community engagement.
{{< /lead >}}
## Position Overview
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) seeks a visionary Strategist to guide our long-term strategic direction and coordinate our multifaceted efforts to advance digital self-determination. This role combines strategic planning, organizational development, and ecosystem thinking to ensure CSTF's initiatives work together effectively toward our shared mission.
As a volunteer-led US 501(c)(3) non-profit charity working across technology development, education, community building, and advocacy, CSTF needs strategic leadership that can see connections across diverse initiatives and guide our evolution as an organization and movement.
## About CSTF's Strategic Context
The Civil Society Technology Foundation operates in a complex landscape where technology, governance, and civil society intersect:
- **Technology Development**: Building practical tools like Wild Cloud that demonstrate digital self-determination
- **Educational Initiatives**: Creating accessible learning resources that democratize technical knowledge
- **Community Engagement**: Fostering networks of practitioners and advocates for technological autonomy
- **Civil Society Collaboration**: Working with aligned organizations to strengthen the broader ecosystem
Our strategic challenges involve balancing immediate practical needs with long-term vision, coordinating distributed volunteer efforts, and maintaining principled approaches while achieving meaningful impact.
## Primary Responsibilities
### Strategic Planning & Vision Development
- Develop and maintain CSTF's long-term strategic plan aligned with our mission and principles
- Coordinate strategic planning processes that involve community input and distributed decision-making
- Identify emerging opportunities and challenges in the digital rights and self-hosting landscape
- Guide organizational evolution to meet changing needs while maintaining core values
### Cross-Initiative Coordination
- Ensure coordination and synergy between Wild Cloud development, educational initiatives, community building, and fundraising
- Identify opportunities for integration and collaboration between different CSTF projects
- Facilitate strategic decision-making processes across distributed leadership teams
- Manage strategic trade-offs and resource allocation decisions
### Ecosystem & Partnership Development
- Map and analyze the broader ecosystem of digital rights, open-source, and civil society organizations
- Develop strategic partnerships that advance CSTF's mission while respecting our independence
- Coordinate with aligned organizations on shared initiatives and collaborative projects
- Represent CSTF in strategic discussions within the digital civil society community
### Organizational Development
- Guide CSTF's organizational structure and governance evolution as we grow
- Develop frameworks for distributed leadership and transparent decision-making at scale
- Create systems for measuring impact and effectiveness across our diverse initiatives
- Support leadership development and succession planning for key organizational roles
## Required Qualifications
- **Strategic Experience**: 5+ years of strategic planning experience in nonprofit, technology, or civil society contexts
- **Systems Thinking**: Ability to understand complex interconnections between technology, governance, and social change
- **Nonprofit Leadership**: Experience with nonprofit governance, volunteer management, and mission-driven organizations
- **Technology Understanding**: Solid grasp of open-source, self-hosting, and digital rights concepts
- **Mission Alignment**: Deep commitment to digital self-determination and transparent, community-driven governance
## Preferred Qualifications
- **Civil Society Background**: Experience with civil society organizations, advocacy, or social movement work
- **Open Source Ecosystem**: Understanding of open-source project governance, community dynamics, and sustainability models
- **Digital Rights Knowledge**: Familiarity with privacy, surveillance, and digital civil liberties issues
- **International Perspective**: Experience with global civil society networks and cross-cultural collaboration
- **Organizational Development**: Expertise in organizational design, change management, and leadership development
## Key Strategic Focus Areas
### Technology Strategy
- **Wild Cloud Evolution**: Guide Wild Cloud's development priorities and roadmap in alignment with CSTF mission
- **Technology Ecosystem**: Strategic thinking about CSTF's role in the broader self-hosting and digital independence ecosystem
- **Innovation Priorities**: Identify emerging technology areas where CSTF can make meaningful contributions
- **Standards & Interoperability**: Strategic approach to technical standards and collaboration with other projects
### Educational Strategy
- **Learning Impact**: Develop strategies for maximizing educational reach and effectiveness
- **Knowledge Democratization**: Guide approaches to making technical knowledge accessible to diverse audiences
- **Educational Partnerships**: Strategic relationships with educational institutions and community organizations
- **Capacity Building**: Long-term vision for building technical capacity in civil society
### Community & Movement Strategy
- **Community Growth**: Strategic approaches to building and sustaining communities of practice
- **Movement Building**: CSTF's role in broader movements for digital rights and technological sovereignty
- **Geographic Expansion**: Strategies for global reach while respecting local contexts and needs
- **Generational Sustainability**: Ensuring CSTF's work continues across leadership transitions
### Organizational Strategy
- **Governance Evolution**: Guide development of CSTF's governance structures as the organization grows
- **Resource Development**: Strategic approaches to sustainable funding and resource mobilization
- **Impact Measurement**: Frameworks for assessing and communicating CSTF's effectiveness
- **Risk Management**: Anticipate and prepare for challenges to CSTF's mission and operations
## Strategic Planning Responsibilities
### Vision & Direction Setting
- Facilitate collaborative processes for refining and updating CSTF's mission and vision
- Develop strategic frameworks that guide decision-making across all CSTF initiatives
- Create long-term scenarios and strategic options for CSTF's evolution
- Balance visionary thinking with practical implementation considerations
### Coordination & Integration
- Design coordination mechanisms that respect distributed leadership while ensuring strategic alignment
- Create processes for strategic decision-making that involve community input and transparent deliberation
- Develop metrics and feedback systems for assessing strategic progress and course correction
- Facilitate strategic reviews and planning cycles appropriate to CSTF's volunteer-driven structure
### External Positioning
- Develop CSTF's strategic positioning within the digital rights and civil society landscape
- Guide public communication of CSTF's strategic vision and priorities
- Represent CSTF's strategic perspective in coalitions, conferences, and policy discussions
- Build strategic relationships that advance CSTF's mission without compromising independence
## Success Metrics
- **Strategic Coherence**: Clear alignment between CSTF initiatives and overarching strategic direction
- **Organizational Effectiveness**: Improved coordination and decision-making across CSTF programs
- **Ecosystem Impact**: Recognition of CSTF as a significant contributor to digital self-determination ecosystem
- **Sustainable Growth**: Organizational development that supports mission advancement without compromising principles
- **Community Engagement**: Effective community participation in strategic planning and direction-setting
- **Partnership Development**: Strategic relationships that amplify CSTF's impact while maintaining independence
## Organizational Culture & Values
This role requires deep alignment with CSTF's core principles:
- **Transparent Governance**: All strategic planning and decision-making processes must be visible and accountable
- **Tools Over Policy**: Focus strategic efforts on building practical alternatives rather than policy advocacy
- **Healthy Ecosystems Win**: Measure strategic success by genuine utility to communities, not organizational growth
- **Self-determination by Design**: Ensure strategic direction supports user autonomy and community empowerment
- **Contribution Defines Membership**: Design strategic processes that recognize and incorporate diverse forms of contribution
## Compensation & Structure
This is a volunteer leadership position with the Civil Society Technology Foundation. As we grow and secure funding, this role may transition to a paid position based on organizational capacity and strategic development success.
## How to Apply
CSTF seeks strategic thinkers who understand both the complexity of socio-technical change and the importance of principled, community-driven approaches. We welcome applications from individuals with experience in nonprofit strategy, technology governance, or civil society leadership who share our vision of democratic technology development.
To express interest in this position:
1. Join our community at [forum.civilsociety.dev](https://forum.civilsociety.dev)
2. Review our [principles and mission](/about/) and current initiatives to understand our strategic context
3. Introduce yourself as a reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-cstf-strategist/22/1) (or message the post's author) and share your vision for advancing digital self-determination through strategic organizational development
We operate with transparent, distributed governance and welcome collaborative input on strategic planning and organizational development.
## Contact
For questions about this position or CSTF's strategic development, [reply to this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-cstf-strategist/22/1).
Join us in developing strategic approaches that advance digital self-determination through coordinated community action, principled technology development, and sustainable organizational growth.

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---
title: "Wild Cloud - Apps Lead"
summary: "Curate, integrate, and maintain the ecosystem of open-source applications that make Wild Cloud a complete self-hosted platform for digital independence."
date: 2025-08-23
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
---
{{< lead >}}
Lead the curation and integration of open-source applications that transform Wild Cloud from infrastructure into a complete, user-friendly platform for digital self-determination.
{{< /lead >}}
## Position Overview
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) seeks an experienced Wild Cloud Apps Lead to oversee the application ecosystem that makes Wild Cloud a comprehensive alternative to centralized platforms. This role combines technical integration skills with strategic thinking about which applications best serve our mission of accessible digital self-determination.
Wild Cloud's value comes not just from its Kubernetes infrastructure, but from the carefully curated "stacks" of open-source applications that provide communication, productivity, intelligence, and development capabilities. Our Apps Lead ensures these applications work seamlessly together and serve real user needs.
## About Wild Cloud Applications
Wild Cloud provides reference application stacks that demonstrate the practical value of self-hosted infrastructure:
- **Communication Stack**: Self-hosted messaging, video conferencing, email, and collaboration tools
- **Productivity Stack**: Document management, project management, calendars, and workflow automation
- **Intelligence Stack**: AI/ML capabilities, data analysis, and knowledge management running locally
- **Development Stack**: Code hosting, CI/CD, issue tracking, and development environment provisioning
Each stack combines best-of-breed open-source applications into cohesive, user-friendly experiences that rival centralized platform offerings while maintaining user control and privacy.
## Primary Responsibilities
### Application Curation & Evaluation
- Research and evaluate open-source applications for potential inclusion in Wild Cloud stacks
- Assess applications for technical quality, security, maintainability, and alignment with CSTF principles
- Monitor the open-source ecosystem for emerging applications that could benefit Wild Cloud users
- Maintain decision frameworks for application selection based on user needs and technical merit
### Integration & Stack Development
- Design and implement Kubernetes deployments (Helm charts, operators) for curated applications
- Ensure seamless integration between applications within each stack
- Develop configuration management and deployment automation for application stacks
- Create unified authentication, data sharing, and workflow integration across applications
### Application Maintenance & Updates
- Maintain existing application integrations and keep them current with upstream releases
- Monitor application health, security vulnerabilities, and performance issues
- Coordinate with upstream open-source projects on bug reports, feature requests, and contributions
- Manage deprecation and replacement of applications that no longer meet Wild Cloud standards
### User Experience & Stack Coherence
- Ensure consistent user experience across different applications within each stack
- Design onboarding flows and documentation for application stacks
- Gather user feedback on application usability and integration effectiveness
- Balance feature completeness with simplicity and ease of use
## Required Qualifications
- **Container Orchestration**: Strong experience with Kubernetes, Helm charts, and container deployment
- **Open Source Ecosystem**: Deep familiarity with open-source applications across productivity, communication, and development domains
- **Systems Integration**: Proven ability to integrate multiple applications into cohesive systems
- **Technical Evaluation**: Experience evaluating software for security, performance, and maintainability
- **Mission Alignment**: Commitment to digital self-determination and open-source principles
## Preferred Qualifications
- **Self-Hosting Experience**: Hands-on experience running self-hosted applications and home servers
- **DevOps Expertise**: Experience with CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code, and deployment automation
- **Security Focus**: Understanding of security best practices for self-hosted environments
- **Open Source Contribution**: Active contributor to open-source projects with understanding of project governance
- **User Experience Design**: Ability to design coherent user experiences across multiple applications
## Key Application Areas
### Communication & Collaboration
- **Messaging Platforms**: Matrix, XMPP, or similar federated communication systems
- **Video Conferencing**: Jitsi, BigBlueButton, or similar self-hosted meeting solutions
- **Email Systems**: Mail servers, webmail clients, and spam filtering solutions
- **File Sharing**: NextCloud, Syncthing, or similar collaborative file management
- **Team Collaboration**: Forums, wikis, and knowledge management platforms
### Productivity & Organization
- **Document Management**: Office suites, document editors, and version control
- **Project Management**: Issue tracking, kanban boards, and workflow management
- **Calendar & Scheduling**: Calendar servers, scheduling tools, and event management
- **Note Taking**: Personal knowledge management and note-taking applications
- **Financial Management**: Bookkeeping, expense tracking, and financial planning tools
### Intelligence & Analytics
- **AI/ML Platforms**: Local LLM deployment, machine learning frameworks, and AI assistants
- **Data Analysis**: Business intelligence, reporting, and visualization tools
- **Search & Discovery**: Full-text search, data indexing, and knowledge discovery
- **Monitoring & Observability**: System monitoring, log analysis, and performance tracking
### Development & Technical
- **Version Control**: Git hosting, code review, and repository management
- **CI/CD Systems**: Build automation, testing frameworks, and deployment pipelines
- **Development Environments**: Container-based development, IDE servers, and coding tools
- **Database Management**: Database servers, administration tools, and backup systems
## Technical Responsibilities
### Kubernetes Integration
- Create and maintain Helm charts for application deployments
- Develop Kubernetes operators for complex application lifecycles
- Implement proper resource management, scaling, and health monitoring
- Ensure applications work across different Kubernetes distributions and configurations
### Configuration Management
- Design consistent configuration approaches across all applications
- Implement secrets management and secure credential handling
- Create backup and restore procedures for application data
- Develop migration tools for moving between application versions
### Quality Assurance
- Establish testing frameworks for application integrations
- Create automated deployment and upgrade testing
- Monitor application performance and resource utilization
- Implement security scanning and vulnerability management
### Documentation & Support
- Create comprehensive deployment and configuration documentation
- Develop troubleshooting guides for common application issues
- Write user guides that explain application capabilities and workflows
- Maintain API documentation and integration specifications
## Success Metrics
- **Stack Completeness**: Comprehensive application coverage across communication, productivity, intelligence, and development needs
- **Integration Quality**: Seamless user experience across applications within each stack
- **Deployment Success**: Reliable application deployments across diverse Wild Cloud environments
- **User Satisfaction**: Positive feedback on application functionality and ease of use
- **Security Posture**: Timely security updates and vulnerability remediation across all applications
- **Community Contribution**: Upstream contributions and positive relationships with open-source projects
## Application Selection Criteria
Applications considered for Wild Cloud inclusion must meet these standards:
- **Open Source**: Must be libre software with transparent development and governance
- **Self-Hostable**: Must run effectively on user-controlled infrastructure
- **Production Ready**: Must be stable, secure, and suitable for real-world use
- **Well Maintained**: Must have active development and responsive security practices
- **Standards Compliant**: Must use open protocols and standards for interoperability
- **Resource Efficient**: Must run effectively on modest hardware resources
- **User Focused**: Must provide genuine utility with reasonable learning curves
## Organizational Alignment
This role requires deep alignment with CSTF principles:
- **Self-determination by Design**: Ensure applications empower user control and data ownership
- **Open Source Always**: Only curate applications that respect software freedom
- **Practical Autonomy**: Select applications users can understand, configure, and maintain
- **Interoperability via Consent**: Prioritize applications that work well together and respect user choices
- **Healthy Ecosystems Win**: Focus on applications that serve communities rather than extracting value
## Compensation & Structure
This is a volunteer leadership position with the Civil Society Technology Foundation. As the Wild Cloud project grows and secures funding, this role may transition to a paid position based on organizational capacity and project success.
## How to Apply
CSTF seeks technical leaders who understand both the open-source application ecosystem and the importance of creating cohesive user experiences. We welcome applications from developers, system administrators, and integrators who share our vision of making powerful applications accessible through self-hosting.
To express interest in this position:
1. Join our development community on [git.civilsociety.dev](https://git.civilsociety.dev/CSTF/wild-cloud/issues)
2. Review the [Wild Cloud project](https://mywildcloud.org) and our [principles](/about/) to understand our approach
3. Introduce yourself as a reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-wild-cloud-apps-lead-curate-the-open-source-applications-that-make-self-hosting-complete/23/1) (or message the post's author) and share your experience with open-source applications and vision for self-hosted application stacks
We operate with transparent, distributed governance and welcome collaborative input on application selection and integration strategy.
## Contact
For questions about this position or Wild Cloud application development, [reply to this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-wild-cloud-apps-lead-curate-the-open-source-applications-that-make-self-hosting-complete/23/1).
Join us in building application ecosystems that demonstrate the practical power of digital self-determination through carefully curated, expertly integrated open-source software.

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---
title: "Wild Cloud - Community Development Manager"
summary: "Build and nurture vibrant communities of Wild Cloud operators, contributors, and advocates working toward practical digital self-determination."
date: 2025-08-23
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
---
{{< lead >}}
Lead community building efforts to create thriving networks of Wild Cloud users, operators, and contributors committed to practical digital independence through self-hosted infrastructure.
{{< /lead >}}
## Position Overview
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) seeks a dynamic Wild Cloud Community Development Manager to build, nurture, and grow the global community around our flagship self-hosted infrastructure platform. This role focuses specifically on creating vibrant communities of practice around Wild Cloud deployment, operation, and contribution.
As Wild Cloud empowers individuals and organizations to reclaim control over their digital infrastructure, our Community Development Manager will create pathways for users to support each other, share knowledge, and collaborate on making self-hosting more accessible and effective for everyone.
## About Wild Cloud Community
The Wild Cloud community encompasses diverse participants united by commitment to digital self-determination:
- **Wild Cloud Operators**: Individuals and organizations running their own Wild Cloud infrastructure
- **Technical Contributors**: Developers, system administrators, and engineers contributing to Wild Cloud development
- **Educational Advocates**: Teachers, trainers, and community educators helping others adopt self-hosting
- **Application Curators**: Community members evaluating, testing, and integrating new applications
- **Support Providers**: Experienced users helping newcomers troubleshoot and learn
Our community operates on principles of mutual aid, shared learning, and collaborative improvement of self-hosted infrastructure capabilities.
## Primary Responsibilities
### Community Platform Management
- Build and maintain community spaces for Wild Cloud operators and contributors
- Create welcoming onboarding experiences for new Wild Cloud users and contributors
- Facilitate productive discussions around self-hosting, infrastructure management, and digital independence
- Develop community guidelines that reflect Wild Cloud's principles of practical autonomy and mutual support
### User Community Growth & Support
- Develop programs to connect Wild Cloud operators for peer support and knowledge sharing
- Create local and online Wild Cloud user groups and meetups
- Facilitate troubleshooting communities and peer technical support networks
- Organize community-driven testing and feedback programs for new Wild Cloud releases
### Contributor Development & Engagement
- Foster participation in Wild Cloud development across coding, documentation, testing, and design
- Create pathways for users to become contributors and maintainers
- Coordinate community contributions to Wild Cloud platform and application development
- Recognize and celebrate diverse forms of contribution to the Wild Cloud ecosystem
### Knowledge Sharing & Collaboration
- Facilitate sharing of Wild Cloud deployment experiences, configurations, and best practices
- Create forums for discussing application stacks, use cases, and optimization strategies
- Support community-generated content including tutorials, case studies, and deployment guides
- Coordinate community input on Wild Cloud roadmap and feature priorities
## Required Qualifications
- **Community Management**: 3+ years of community development experience, preferably in technical or open-source contexts
- **Self-Hosting Understanding**: Familiarity with self-hosted infrastructure, home servers, and the challenges of digital independence
- **Technical Communication**: Ability to facilitate discussions about complex technical topics across different skill levels
- **Mission Alignment**: Deep commitment to digital self-determination and practical autonomy through technology
- **Facilitation Skills**: Proven ability to moderate discussions, resolve conflicts, and build consensus in technical communities
## Preferred Qualifications
- **Wild Cloud Experience**: Hands-on experience deploying and operating Wild Cloud or similar self-hosted platforms
- **Open Source Community**: Experience with open-source project communities and distributed collaboration
- **Infrastructure Knowledge**: Understanding of Kubernetes, containerization, and modern infrastructure concepts
- **Educational Background**: Experience with technical education, training, or knowledge transfer programs
- **Global Community**: Experience building inclusive communities across different time zones and cultures
## Key Community Development Areas
### Operator Support Networks
- **Peer Support Forums**: Spaces for Wild Cloud operators to help each other with technical issues
- **Regional Groups**: Location-based communities for in-person collaboration and shared infrastructure
- **Specialty Groups**: Communities focused on specific use cases like family servers, small business deployment, or educational institutions
- **Mentorship Programs**: Pairing experienced operators with newcomers for guided learning
### Knowledge & Experience Sharing
- **Deployment Stories**: Community-generated content about Wild Cloud adoption journeys and lessons learned
- **Configuration Sharing**: Repositories and forums for sharing tested configurations and optimizations
- **Use Case Documentation**: Community-driven examples of Wild Cloud applications in different contexts
- **Best Practice Development**: Collaborative development of operational guidelines and recommendations
### Contribution & Development
- **Community Feedback**: Systematic collection and synthesis of user experience feedback for development priorities
- **Testing Programs**: Organized community testing of new releases, features, and application integrations
- **Documentation Improvement**: Community-driven improvement of Wild Cloud documentation and educational materials
- **Feature Advocacy**: Community input on Wild Cloud roadmap and feature development
### Events & Engagement
- **Wild Cloud Meetups**: Local gatherings of operators and contributors
- **Online Workshops**: Virtual events for learning specific Wild Cloud skills and concepts
- **Deployment Parties**: Community events for helping new users get their first Wild Cloud running
- **Developer Sprints**: Focused development events for advancing Wild Cloud platform and applications
## Success Metrics
- **Community Growth**: Increase in active Wild Cloud operators and regular community participants
- **Support Effectiveness**: Reduced time-to-resolution for community support requests and high satisfaction scores
- **Knowledge Sharing**: Growth in community-generated content, configurations, and best practices
- **Contribution Levels**: Increased community contributions to Wild Cloud development and documentation
- **User Success**: Higher success rates for new Wild Cloud deployments with community support
- **Geographic Reach**: Development of Wild Cloud communities across different regions and contexts
## Community Engagement Strategies
### Inclusive Onboarding
- Create welcome programs that help new community members find their place and contribution opportunities
- Develop mentorship programs connecting newcomers with experienced Wild Cloud operators
- Ensure community spaces are accessible to people with different technical backgrounds and experience levels
### Practical Collaboration
- Facilitate real-world collaboration on Wild Cloud deployments and shared infrastructure projects
- Support community members in organizing local workshops and training events
- Create opportunities for experienced users to teach and support others in their Wild Cloud journey
### Recognition & Empowerment
- Implement recognition programs that celebrate diverse contributions beyond just code
- Create pathways for community members to take leadership roles in different areas
- Support community-driven initiatives and provide resources for member-led projects
## Organizational Culture & Values
This role requires deep alignment with Wild Cloud and CSTF principles:
- **Practical Autonomy**: Help community members achieve genuine independence and competence with their infrastructure
- **Contribution Defines Membership**: Foster communities where participation and mutual aid determine belonging
- **Transparent Governance**: Ensure community decision-making processes are visible and accountable
- **Healthy Ecosystems Win**: Focus on building communities that provide genuine value to members
- **Interoperability via Consent**: Support community standards and practices that emerge from collaborative consensus
## Compensation & Structure
This is a volunteer leadership position with the Civil Society Technology Foundation. As the Wild Cloud project grows and secures funding, this role may transition to a paid position based on organizational capacity and community development success.
## How to Apply
CSTF seeks community builders who understand both the technical challenges of self-hosting and the importance of mutual support in achieving digital independence. We welcome applications from individuals who have experience building technical communities and share our vision of collaborative infrastructure ownership.
To express interest in this position:
1. Join the Wild Cloud development community on [git.civilsociety.dev](https://git.civilsociety.dev/CSTF/wild-cloud/issues)
2. Review the [Wild Cloud project](https://mywildcloud.org) and our [principles](/about/) to understand our approach
3. Introduce yourself as a reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-wild-cloud-community-manager/24/1) (or message the post's author) and share your vision for building supportive communities around self-hosted infrastructure
We operate with transparent, distributed governance and welcome collaborative input on community development strategy and community platform design.
## Contact
For questions about this position or Wild Cloud community development, [reply to this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-wild-cloud-community-manager/24/1).
Join us in building communities where people support each other in achieving genuine digital self-determination through shared knowledge, mutual aid, and collaborative infrastructure development.

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---
title: "Wild Cloud - Software Development Lead"
summary: "Lead the development of Wild Cloud, CSTF's reference implementation for accessible, self-hosted cloud infrastructure built on Kubernetes and open-source principles."
date: 2025-08-23
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
---
{{< lead >}}
Lead the technical development of Wild Cloud, empowering individuals and communities to achieve digital self-determination through accessible, self-hosted infrastructure.
{{< /lead >}}
## Position Overview
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) seeks an experienced Software Development Lead to guide the technical development of Wild Cloud, our flagship reference implementation for self-hosted cloud infrastructure. This role combines technical leadership with our mission of making digital self-determination practically accessible to everyone.
Wild Cloud is CSTF's complete solution for operating essential digital services on infrastructure you control, built on Kubernetes and combining carefully selected open-source components into a cohesive, user-friendly system that reduces dependency on centralized corporate platforms.
## About Wild Cloud
Wild Cloud empowers individuals, communities, and organizations to:
- **Host their own cloud services** with full control over data and communications
- **Reduce dependencies** on surveillance-based platforms and centralized infrastructure
- **Build technical capacity** through hands-on experience with self-hosted systems
- **Participate in communities** of practice around independent infrastructure
- **Scale infrastructure** from minimal hardware to full data centers as needs grow
The project provides reference "stacks" deployable on Kubernetes clusters, combining best-of-breed open-source applications to enable productivity, communication, collaboration, and intelligence applications.
## Technical Architecture
Wild Cloud allows cloud operators to install and manage standard Kubernetes clusters on their own premises using modest resources (hardware comparable to smartphone costs). Key architectural elements include:
- **Kubernetes-based foundation** for managing complexity and application health
- **Reference stack implementations** combining proven open-source components
- **Scalable design** supporting single-node deployments to multi-node clusters
- **Component modularity** enabling customization while maintaining cohesive user experience
- **Infrastructure abstraction** making self-hosting accessible without sacrificing technical depth
## Primary Responsibilities
### Technical Leadership & Architecture
- Lead overall technical architecture and development strategy for Wild Cloud platform
- Design and implement Kubernetes-based infrastructure that balances simplicity with flexibility
- Guide technology choices that align with CSTF principles of transparency, self-determination, and community ownership
- Coordinate with community contributors and maintain technical coherence across distributed development
### Core Platform Development
- Develop and maintain the foundational Wild Cloud platform and deployment tooling
- Create reference stack implementations that demonstrate practical self-hosting capabilities
- Build installation, configuration, and management interfaces that make Kubernetes accessible
- Ensure platform reliability, security, and maintainability for diverse deployment environments
### Open Source Community Management
- Foster healthy development community around Wild Cloud project repositories
- Establish development workflows, contribution guidelines, and code review processes
- Mentor community contributors and facilitate distributed development
- Coordinate with upstream open-source projects and maintain good community relationships
### Documentation & Developer Experience
- Create comprehensive technical documentation for platform architecture and APIs
- Develop contribution guides and onboarding materials for new developers
- Design developer tooling and workflows that lower barriers to community participation
- Ensure codebase maintainability through clear architecture and coding standards
## Required Qualifications
- **Software Development**: 5+ years of experience in software development with demonstrated technical leadership
- **Kubernetes Expertise**: Strong experience with Kubernetes architecture, deployment, and cluster management
- **Open Source Leadership**: Proven experience leading open-source projects and managing community contributions
- **Systems Architecture**: Ability to design complex, distributed systems that balance usability with technical depth
- **Mission Alignment**: Deep commitment to digital self-determination, open-source principles, and community empowerment
## Preferred Qualifications
- **Self-Hosting Experience**: Hands-on experience with self-hosted infrastructure, home servers, or private cloud deployments
- **DevOps & Infrastructure**: Experience with infrastructure-as-code, CI/CD, monitoring, and deployment automation
- **Security Focus**: Understanding of security best practices for self-hosted environments and threat modeling
- **Multiple Programming Languages**: Proficiency in languages commonly used in cloud-native development (Go, Python, JavaScript, etc.)
- **Community Building**: Experience building and nurturing technical communities around open-source projects
## Key Technical Areas
### Platform Core
- **Kubernetes Operations**: Cluster provisioning, management, and lifecycle automation
- **Application Orchestration**: Helm charts, operators, and application lifecycle management
- **Networking & Storage**: Container networking, persistent storage, and service mesh integration
- **Security & Identity**: Authentication, authorization, secrets management, and security hardening
### Reference Stacks
- **Communication Stack**: Self-hosted messaging, video conferencing, and collaboration tools
- **Productivity Stack**: Document management, project management, and workflow automation
- **Intelligence Stack**: AI/ML capabilities running on local infrastructure
- **Development Stack**: Code hosting, CI/CD, and development environment provisioning
### User Experience
- **Installation & Setup**: User-friendly deployment processes for various environments
- **Management Interface**: Web-based administration and monitoring capabilities
- **Backup & Recovery**: Data protection and disaster recovery systems
- **Scaling & Migration**: Tools for growing and moving Wild Cloud deployments
## Success Metrics
- **Platform Stability**: Reliable deployments across diverse hardware and network environments
- **Community Growth**: Active contributor base and healthy development velocity
- **User Adoption**: Successful Wild Cloud deployments by individuals and organizations
- **Technical Quality**: Maintainable codebase with comprehensive testing and documentation
- **Educational Impact**: Platform serving as effective learning tool for self-hosting concepts
## Development Philosophy
This role requires alignment with CSTF's technical principles:
- **Self-determination by Design**: Ensure users maintain full control over their infrastructure and data
- **Open Source Always**: All Wild Cloud components must be libre software with transparent development
- **Practical Autonomy**: Build systems users can understand, modify, and maintain independently
- **Tools Over Policy**: Focus on building working alternatives rather than advocating for regulatory solutions
- **Healthy Ecosystems**: Prioritize genuine utility to communities over popular features or metrics
## Community & Collaboration
- **Transparent Development**: All development decisions and processes visible to the community
- **Distributed Leadership**: Foster shared ownership and decision-making among contributors
- **Inclusive Participation**: Create pathways for contributors with diverse backgrounds and skill levels
- **Upstream Contribution**: Contribute improvements back to upstream open-source projects
- **Cross-Project Coordination**: Collaborate with other CSTF initiatives including education and community development
## Compensation & Structure
This is a volunteer leadership position with the Civil Society Technology Foundation. As the project grows and secures funding, this role may transition to a paid position based on organizational capacity and project success.
## How to Apply
CSTF seeks technical leaders who understand both the complexity of distributed systems and the importance of making powerful technology accessible to communities. We welcome applications from developers who share our vision of democratizing infrastructure ownership.
To express interest in this position:
1. Join our development community on [git.civilsociety.dev](https://git.civilsociety.dev/CSTF/wild-cloud/issues)
2. Review the [Wild Cloud project](https://mywildcloud.org) and our [principles](/about/) to understand our approach
3. Introduce yourself as a reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-wild-cloud-dev-lead-build-infrastructure-for-digital-independence/25/1) (or message the post's author) and share your vision for making self-hosted infrastructure accessible
We operate with transparent, distributed governance and welcome collaborative input on technical architecture and development strategy.
## Contact
For questions about this position or Wild Cloud development, [reply to this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-wild-cloud-dev-lead-build-infrastructure-for-digital-independence/25/1).
Join us in building infrastructure that serves communities by putting control directly in the hands of the people who depend on it.

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---
title: "Wild Cloud - Education Lead"
summary: "Develop accessible educational resources that make self-hosting technology understandable and achievable for individuals and communities without technical backgrounds."
date: 2025-08-23
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
---
{{< lead >}}
Lead educational initiatives that make Wild Cloud's self-hosting technology accessible to everyone, regardless of technical background, through clear, practical learning materials.
{{< /lead >}}
## Position Overview
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) seeks a dedicated Wild Cloud Education Lead to develop comprehensive educational resources that demystify self-hosting technology and make digital self-determination achievable for individuals and communities. This role focuses specifically on making Wild Cloud's Kubernetes-based platform approachable through accessible, hands-on educational content.
As Wild Cloud is both a technical platform and an educational resource, this role bridges the gap between complex infrastructure technology and practical understanding for everyday users. Our Education Lead will create pathways for non-technical users to successfully deploy, understand, and maintain their own Wild Cloud infrastructure.
## About Wild Cloud Education
Wild Cloud serves as a reference implementation that demonstrates digital self-determination is practically achievable with current technology and modest resources. The educational component is crucial to this mission, as it must make sophisticated infrastructure concepts accessible to:
- **Individuals** seeking digital independence from centralized platforms
- **Small organizations** wanting to control their own data and communications
- **Communities** building shared infrastructure and digital literacy
- **Educators** teaching practical autonomy and self-hosting concepts
Our educational approach emphasizes clarity, practical application, and incremental skill building, with content designed to be digestible even for complex technical topics.
## Primary Responsibilities
### Educational Content Development
- Develop and maintain learning materials at [mywildcloud.org/learning/](https://mywildcloud.org/learning/) covering:
- **Foundational concepts**: Internet protocols, Linux basics, Git version control
- **Self-hosting fundamentals**: Home server setup, networking, security basics
- **Wild Cloud deployment**: Step-by-step installation and configuration guides
- **Kubernetes concepts**: Container orchestration explained in accessible terms
- **Troubleshooting guides**: Common issues and solutions for Wild Cloud operators
- Create content that follows the established style: concise, clear, with estimated reading times
- Ensure all materials remain accessible to learners without extensive technical backgrounds
### Learning Path Design
- Design progressive learning curricula from complete beginner to competent Wild Cloud operator
- Create hands-on exercises and practical projects that reinforce theoretical concepts
- Develop assessment checkpoints that help learners gauge their readiness for next steps
- Structure content to support both self-paced individual learning and group workshop environments
- Create "quick start" paths for users who want to get running immediately
### Practical Workshop Development
- Design workshop curricula for Wild Cloud deployment and management
- Create instructor guides and materials for community-led educational events
- Develop virtual and in-person training programs that accommodate different learning styles
- Build "Wild Cloud in a box" educational setups for hands-on learning experiences
- Create certification or competency frameworks for Wild Cloud operators
### User Onboarding & Support Materials
- Develop comprehensive onboarding sequences for new Wild Cloud users
- Create troubleshooting documentation that helps users solve common problems independently
- Build interactive tutorials and guided setup processes
- Develop community support resources including FAQ, knowledge base, and peer help systems
- Design documentation that grows with user expertise from basic setup to advanced customization
## Required Qualifications
- **Educational Design**: 3+ years of experience creating technical educational content, especially for complex technology topics
- **Technical Communication**: Exceptional ability to explain complex technical concepts in simple, accessible language
- **Self-Hosting Knowledge**: Understanding of self-hosted infrastructure, home servers, and basic networking concepts
- **Adult Learning**: Experience with adult education principles and hands-on technical training
- **Mission Alignment**: Commitment to digital self-determination and making technology accessible to non-technical users
## Preferred Qualifications
- **Container/Kubernetes Experience**: Familiarity with Docker, Kubernetes, or similar container orchestration technologies
- **Infrastructure Background**: Hands-on experience with Linux server administration, networking, and system deployment
- **Community Education**: Experience teaching technology skills in community or non-profit contexts
- **Accessibility Expertise**: Understanding of inclusive design principles and diverse learning needs
- **Video/Multimedia Creation**: Ability to create video tutorials, interactive content, or visual learning aids
## Key Educational Focus Areas
### Technology Foundations
- **Internet & Networking**: How the internet works, home networking, domain names, and DNS
- **Linux Fundamentals**: Command line basics, file systems, users, and permissions
- **Version Control**: Git concepts for managing configurations and collaborating
- **Security Basics**: Passwords, encryption, firewalls, and basic threat awareness
### Self-Hosting Concepts
- **Hardware Selection**: Choosing appropriate hardware for different Wild Cloud deployments
- **Home Network Setup**: Router configuration, port forwarding, and security considerations
- **Domain & SSL**: Setting up domains and securing connections for home servers
- **Backup & Recovery**: Protecting data and planning for disaster recovery
### Wild Cloud Specifics
- **Platform Overview**: Understanding Wild Cloud architecture and components
- **Installation Process**: Step-by-step deployment guides for various environments
- **Application Stacks**: Installing and configuring communication, productivity, and intelligence stacks
- **Maintenance & Updates**: Keeping Wild Cloud systems healthy and current
- **Scaling & Growth**: Adding resources and capabilities as needs evolve
### Community & Governance
- **Digital Citizenship**: Rights and responsibilities of self-hosting operators
- **Community Participation**: Contributing to Wild Cloud development and support communities
- **Privacy & Data Ethics**: Understanding implications of controlling your own data
- **Teaching Others**: Becoming community educators and peer mentors
## Success Metrics
- **Learning Effectiveness**: User feedback scores and successful Wild Cloud deployments by educational program participants
- **Content Engagement**: Usage metrics for educational materials and completion rates for learning paths
- **Community Growth**: Number of users successfully onboarded through educational programs
- **Support Reduction**: Decreased support requests due to effective self-service educational resources
- **Knowledge Transfer**: Growth in community members who become educators or mentors for others
- **Accessibility Impact**: Successful Wild Cloud adoption by users without prior technical experience
## Educational Philosophy
This role requires alignment with CSTF's educational principles:
- **Practical Autonomy**: Ensure learners can independently operate and maintain their Wild Cloud deployments
- **Critical Adoption**: Help users understand trade-offs and make informed choices about self-hosting
- **Incremental Learning**: Structure content so learners can start simple and grow their capabilities over time
- **Community-Driven**: Foster peer-to-peer learning and community support networks
- **Transparent Process**: Make all aspects of Wild Cloud operation understandable, not just usable
## Content Style & Approach
Following the established Wild Cloud learning format:
- **Concise & Focused**: Each topic should be digestible with clear word counts and reading time estimates
- **Practical Application**: Include hands-on exercises and real-world examples
- **Progressive Complexity**: Start with basics and build toward more advanced topics
- **Visual Learning**: Use diagrams, screenshots, and interactive elements where helpful
- **Multiple Formats**: Support different learning preferences with text, video, and interactive content
## Compensation & Structure
This is a volunteer leadership position with the Civil Society Technology Foundation. As the project grows and secures funding, this role may transition to a paid position based on organizational capacity and educational program success.
## How to Apply
CSTF seeks educators who understand both the importance of technical self-determination and the challenge of making complex technology accessible to everyone. We welcome applications from technical educators, community teachers, and advocates who share our vision of democratizing infrastructure knowledge.
To express interest in this position:
1. Join our community at [forum.civilsociety.dev](https://forum.civilsociety.dev)
2. Review the existing [Wild Cloud learning materials](https://mywildcloud.org/learning/) and our [principles](/about/)
3. Introduce yourself as a reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-wild-cloud-education-lead-make-self-hosting-accessible-to-everyone/26/1) (or message the post's author) and share your vision for making self-hosting technology accessible to non-technical users
We operate with transparent, distributed governance and welcome collaborative input on educational strategy and content development.
## Contact
For questions about this position or Wild Cloud educational initiatives, [reply to this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-wild-cloud-education-lead-make-self-hosting-accessible-to-everyone/26/1).
Join us in making digital self-determination achievable for everyone through clear, accessible education that bridges the gap between complex technology and practical understanding.

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---
title: "Wild Cloud - Marketing Manager"
summary: "Lead marketing efforts for Wild Cloud, making self-hosted infrastructure appealing and accessible to individuals and organizations seeking digital independence."
date: 2025-08-23
showDate: false
showWordCount: false
showReadingTime: false
---
{{< lead >}}
Drive authentic marketing strategies that communicate Wild Cloud's value proposition to diverse audiences while maintaining our commitment to ethical engagement and community-driven growth.
{{< /lead >}}
## Position Overview
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) seeks a strategic Wild Cloud Marketing Manager to lead marketing efforts for our flagship self-hosted infrastructure platform. This role requires translating complex technical concepts into compelling value propositions for individuals and organizations seeking alternatives to centralized platforms.
Wild Cloud represents a practical path to digital self-determination through accessible, Kubernetes-based infrastructure that users can deploy and control themselves. Our Marketing Manager will help people understand why and how to reclaim control over their digital lives through self-hosting.
## About Wild Cloud
Wild Cloud empowers individuals, communities, and organizations to:
- **Host their own cloud services** with complete data and communication control
- **Reduce dependencies** on surveillance-based platforms and centralized infrastructure
- **Build technical capacity** through hands-on experience with self-hosted systems
- **Scale infrastructure** from minimal home setups to full organizational data centers
- **Participate in communities** of practice around independent infrastructure
The platform combines carefully selected open-source components into reference "stacks" that provide communication, productivity, intelligence, and development capabilities on user-controlled Kubernetes infrastructure.
## Primary Responsibilities
### Strategic Messaging & Positioning
- Develop compelling messaging that explains Wild Cloud's benefits to both technical and non-technical audiences
- Position Wild Cloud as the accessible entry point to self-hosting and digital independence
- Create messaging frameworks that address common concerns about complexity, cost, and maintenance
- Differentiate Wild Cloud from both centralized cloud services and other self-hosting solutions
### Target Audience Development
- Identify and understand key audience segments seeking alternatives to centralized platforms
- Develop detailed user personas for Wild Cloud adopters across different contexts and use cases
- Create audience-specific messaging and content strategies
- Build pathways for different audiences to discover and adopt Wild Cloud
### Content Marketing & Education
- Develop content strategies that demonstrate Wild Cloud's practical benefits through real-world examples
- Create case studies showcasing successful Wild Cloud deployments across different contexts
- Collaborate with education team to ensure marketing content supports learning pathways
- Produce content that addresses common questions and concerns about self-hosting
### Digital Presence & Community Growth
- Manage Wild Cloud's presence across appropriate digital platforms and communities
- Build organic growth through word-of-mouth and community advocacy
- Create strategies for reaching audiences on centralized platforms while demonstrating alternatives
- Foster authentic community discussions about self-hosting and digital independence
## Required Qualifications
- **Technology Marketing**: 3+ years of marketing experience with technical products, preferably infrastructure or developer tools
- **Complex Product Communication**: Proven ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
- **Values Alignment**: Understanding of and commitment to digital rights, privacy, and technological self-determination
- **Community-Driven Marketing**: Experience with grassroots marketing, community building, and authentic engagement
- **Content Strategy**: Strong content marketing skills across multiple formats and platforms
## Preferred Qualifications
- **Self-Hosting Knowledge**: Familiarity with self-hosted infrastructure, home servers, or private cloud concepts
- **Open Source Community**: Experience marketing within open-source, privacy-focused, or digital rights communities
- **Technical Background**: Understanding of containerization, Kubernetes, or cloud infrastructure concepts
- **Alternative Tech Marketing**: Experience promoting alternatives to mainstream technology platforms
- **Visual Communication**: Ability to create diagrams, infographics, or visual content that explains technical concepts
## Key Target Audiences
### Primary Audiences
- **Privacy-conscious individuals** seeking alternatives to big tech platforms for personal data and communications
- **Small organizations** wanting independence from centralized services for data sovereignty and cost control
- **Tech-savvy families** interested in teaching digital literacy and self-sufficiency to their children
- **Remote teams** needing secure, self-controlled collaboration and communication tools
### Secondary Audiences
- **Educational institutions** seeking hands-on infrastructure learning opportunities
- **Community organizations** building shared digital resources and capabilities
- **Small businesses** looking to reduce dependency on subscription services and external platforms
- **Technical professionals** interested in contributing to meaningful open-source infrastructure projects
### Emerging Audiences
- **Developing regions** where centralized services are expensive or unreliable
- **Regulated industries** with strict data control and sovereignty requirements
- **Rural communities** building cooperative digital infrastructure
- **Digital rights advocates** seeking practical tools to demonstrate alternatives
## Marketing Philosophy & Approach
### Education-First Marketing
- Use marketing as an opportunity to teach about digital self-determination concepts
- Focus on building understanding rather than just awareness
- Address legitimate concerns about complexity and maintenance requirements honestly
- Integrate marketing efforts with educational content and learning resources
### Community-Driven Growth
- Amplify success stories and testimonials from actual Wild Cloud users
- Support community members in becoming advocates and educators
- Create peer-to-peer advocacy programs and referral systems
- Focus on organic growth through genuine utility rather than traditional advertising
### Transparent Value Proposition
- Be honest about Wild Cloud's benefits, limitations, and ideal use cases
- Help prospects understand whether Wild Cloud is right for their situation
- Provide clear comparisons with alternatives including both centralized and self-hosted options
- Maintain accountability to user experience and avoid overpromising
### Practical Demonstration
- Show Wild Cloud in action rather than just describing features
- Create demonstrations that highlight real-world use cases and benefits
- Use before/after scenarios to illustrate the impact of digital self-determination
- Focus on outcomes and user empowerment rather than technical features
## Key Marketing Initiatives
### Content & Storytelling
- **User Success Stories**: Document journeys from centralized platforms to Wild Cloud independence
- **Comparison Content**: Honest assessments of Wild Cloud vs. alternatives across different use cases
- **Educational Content**: "Why self-host?" materials that build understanding of the value proposition
- **Technical Demystification**: Content that makes infrastructure concepts approachable
### Community Building
- **Wild Cloud User Groups**: Support local and online communities of Wild Cloud operators
- **Contribution Programs**: Pathways for users to contribute back to the project
- **Mentorship Networks**: Connect experienced users with newcomers
- **Showcase Events**: Demonstrations and presentations at relevant conferences and meetups
### Partnership Development
- **Educational Partnerships**: Collaborations with schools, libraries, and community organizations
- **Technology Partnerships**: Relationships with complementary open-source projects
- **Advocacy Partnerships**: Connections with digital rights and privacy organizations
- **Hardware Partnerships**: Relationships with hardware vendors serving self-hosting markets
## Success Metrics
- **Adoption Growth**: Increase in Wild Cloud deployments and active user community
- **Educational Impact**: Users successfully transitioning from centralized platforms to self-hosting
- **Community Health**: Active user forums, contribution levels, and peer support
- **Content Effectiveness**: Engagement with educational content and successful user onboarding
- **Awareness Quality**: Growth in informed interest rather than just general awareness
- **User Satisfaction**: Positive feedback from Wild Cloud operators and community members
## Organizational Alignment
This role requires deep alignment with CSTF principles:
- **Healthy Ecosystems Win**: Success measured by genuine utility to users, not vanity metrics
- **Tools Over Policy**: Focus on practical solutions rather than advocacy or policy positions
- **Critical Adoption over Blind Use**: Help prospects make informed decisions about self-hosting
- **Self-determination by Design**: Ensure marketing respects user autonomy and informed consent
- **Transparent Governance**: Maintain open communication about Wild Cloud development and decision-making
## Compensation & Structure
This is a volunteer leadership position with the Civil Society Technology Foundation. As the Wild Cloud project grows and secures funding, this role may transition to a paid position based on organizational capacity and project success.
## How to Apply
CSTF seeks marketers who understand both the technical value and social importance of self-hosted infrastructure. We welcome applications from individuals who can bridge the gap between complex technology and practical user benefits while maintaining ethical marketing standards.
To express interest in this position:
1. Join our community at [forum.civilsociety.dev](https://forum.civilsociety.dev)
2. Review the [Wild Cloud project](https://mywildcloud.org) and our [principles](/about/) to understand our approach
3. Introduce yourself as a reply to [this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-wild-cloud-marketing-manager/27/1) (or message the post's author) and share your vision for marketing self-hosted infrastructure to diverse audiences
We operate with transparent, distributed governance and welcome collaborative input on marketing strategy and ethical communication practices.
## Contact
For questions about this position or Wild Cloud marketing initiatives, [reply to this forum post](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/t/seeking-wild-cloud-marketing-manager/27/1).
Join us in making digital self-determination accessible and appealing to everyone who values control over their digital lives.

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---
title: About the Civil Society Technology Foundation
cascade:
params:
heroStyle: background
---
The **Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF)** is a community-driven organization dedicated to empowering individuals and civil society organizations to reclaim digital sovereignty through open-source tools and self-hosted infrastructure.
## Who We Are
{{< article link="/foundation/charter/" >}}
{{< article link="/foundation/mission-statement/" >}}
{{< article link="/foundation/core-principles/" >}}
{{< article link="/foundation/position-statements/" >}}
{{< article link="/projects/governance/" >}}
## What We Believe
{{< article link="/articles/independent-technology/" >}}
{{< article link="/articles/why-digital-sovereignty-matters/" >}}
{{< article link="/articles/arguments-against-centralization/" >}}

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---
title: Charter of the Civil Society Technology Foundation
date: 2025-07-06
---
## Purpose
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) empowers individuals and communities to reclaim digital sovereignty through open-source tools, self-hosted infrastructure, and transparent governance. We exist to create a world where technology serves people — not corporations or governments.
## Vision
A sustainable, decentralized ecosystem of people-centered technology. A world governed by user agency, not technocracy, where digital sovereignty enables rather than undermines democratic participation, personal autonomy, and collective action.
## Mission
To advance digital self-determination through the development and dissemination of open-source, self-hosted technologies. We aim to reduce structural dependency on centralized corporate or governmental platforms by enabling individuals and institutions to operate their own digital infrastructure.
Through accessible tools, educational resources, and community engagement, we cultivate practical autonomy: the capacity of users to understand, modify, and maintain the technologies they rely on.
## Core Principles
1. **Sovereignty by Design**
Users own their data and control their computing environment. Consent is explicit, revocable, and informed.
2. **Tools Before Policy**
We build alternatives rather than asking for permission. Reform is irrelevant where autonomy is possible.
3. **Open Source, Always**
Software must be libre — free to use, study, modify, and share. This is the foundation of digital freedom.
4. **Self-Hosting Infrastructure**
Individuals and aligned collectives should run their own infrastructure. Central hosting creates capture risks.
5. **AI for the People**
AI must be open, efficient, and serve civil society. Closed models and centralized control are unacceptable.
6. **Transparent Governance**
All governance must be visible, accountable, and auditable. Influence is earned through contribution.
7. **Healthy Ecosystems Win**
Projects are judged by their value to communities and civil society, not popularity or funding.
8. **Forkability is Freedom**
Divergence is a right. Balkanization is not failure — it is resilience.
9. **Interoperability via Consent**
Standards emerge from alignment, not imposition. We will propose, not enforce.
10. **Contribution Defines Membership**
Participation is earned through action. Identity is contextual and optional.
11. **Critical Adoption over Blind Use**
Pragmatism means understanding trade-offs. Users should know what rights they give up — and why.
_Expanded explanations of these principles can be found in our [Core Principles](/foundation/core_principles) document._
## Strategic Focus
The Civil Society Technology Foundation pursues its mission through five interconnected areas of work:
### 1. Infrastructure Development
- Building and distributing personal cloud infrastructure
- Creating efficient, user-friendly self-hosting solutions
- Developing reference implementations of sovereign technologies
- Ensuring solutions work on commodity hardware
### 2. Education and Capacity Building
- Creating accessible learning resources on digital sovereignty
- Educating individuals and organizations on self-hosted alternatives
- Building technical literacy and maintenance capabilities
- Documenting best practices for independent technology
### 3. Community Support
- Facilitating knowledge sharing among practitioners
- Creating spaces for collaborative development
- Supporting civil society in adopting sovereign technologies
- Connecting technologists with community needs
### 4. Standards and Interoperability
- Developing open standards that respect user sovereignty
- Promoting interoperability between independent systems
- Documenting protocols for federation and cooperation
- Encouraging critical adoption of standards
### 5. Research and Advocacy
- Documenting the impacts of centralized vs. sovereign technology
- Researching sustainable models for independent infrastructure
- Identifying barriers to digital sovereignty
- Advocating for enabling conditions for technological independence
## Organizational Structure
The Civil Society Technology Foundation is structured to reflect our principles in practice:
### Governance
- Permanently non-profit structure
- Contributors have meaningful voice in decision-making
- Transparent processes for strategic and operational decisions
- Regular public reporting on activities and finances
### Funding and Resource Allocation
- Funding accepted from diverse sources with full transparency
- No single funding source should create dependency or control
- Resources prioritized for maximum impact on digital sovereignty
- Sustainability takes precedence over growth
### Membership and Participation
- Contribution-based participation model
- Multiple pathways for meaningful involvement
- Recognition of diverse forms of contribution
- Commitment to inclusive participation
## Amendment Process
This charter establishes the foundation of the Civil Society Technology Foundation. It may be amended through a transparent process that includes:
1. Public proposal of amendments
2. Community discussion period of at least 30 days
3. Consideration of all substantive feedback
4. Formal adoption through established governance processes
5. Public documentation of changes and rationale
The core purpose and principles may only be modified when necessary to better fulfill our fundamental mission of advancing digital self-determination and sovereignty.

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---
title: Core Principles
date: 2025-07-06
---
The Civil Society Technology Foundation operates according to the following core principles that guide all our work, partnerships, and initiatives.
## 1. Sovereignty by Design
**Users must own their data and control their computing environment.**
Digital systems should be designed with sovereignty as a foundational requirement, not an afterthought. This means:
- Data remains under user control by default
- Consent must be explicit, informed, and revocable
- Infrastructure should be designed for individual or community ownership
- Privacy is a fundamental right, not a premium feature
## 2. Tools Before Policy
**We build alternatives rather than asking for permission.**
While policy reform has its place, we prioritize creating technical solutions that enable autonomy regardless of regulatory environments:
- Direct action through tool-building creates immediate paths to freedom
- Self-determination cannot wait for legislative or corporate reform
- Working alternatives demonstrate what's possible and accelerate change
- Technical empowerment reduces reliance on regulatory protection
## 3. Open Source, Always
**Software must be libre—free to use, study, modify, and share.**
Open source is not simply a development methodology but a foundation for digital freedom:
- Source code transparency enables trust verification and community oversight
- Freedom to modify ensures tools can adapt to evolving needs
- Rights to redistribute create resilience against capture or abandonment
- Collective improvement leads to higher quality and security
## 4. Self-Hosting Infrastructure
**Individuals and communities should control their own infrastructure.**
Centralized hosting creates fundamental risks of capture, surveillance, and dependency:
- Local infrastructure ownership provides true digital autonomy
- Self-hosting creates resilience against external disruption
- Community-scale infrastructure balances efficiency with sovereignty
- Infrastructure design should prioritize simplicity, reliability, and maintainability
## 5. AI for the People
**Artificial intelligence must be open, efficient, and serve civil society.**
As AI becomes increasingly central to digital systems, its governance and accessibility are critical:
- AI systems should run on commodity hardware where possible
- Models and training data should be publicly available and auditable
- Development should be guided by public needs, not commercial imperatives
- Benefits should accrue to communities, not just model owners
## 6. Transparent Governance
**All governance must be visible, accountable, and auditable.**
How we govern ourselves models the world we seek to create:
- Decision-making processes should be documented and accessible
- Influence should be earned through contribution, not financial control
- Community participation in governance should be substantive, not symbolic
- Accountability requires both transparency and mechanisms for change
## 7. Healthy Ecosystems Win
**Projects succeed through their value to communities, not popularity or funding.**
We evaluate success by contribution to civil society, not market metrics:
- Genuine utility to real communities outweighs vanity metrics
- Sustainability matters more than rapid growth
- Complementary projects create more value than competitors
- Diversity of approaches strengthens the ecosystem as a whole
## 8. Forkability is Freedom
**Divergence is a right. Balkanization is not failure—it is resilience.**
The ability to take a different path ensures true independence:
- Projects should be designed for potential forking from inception
- Architectural choices should facilitate independent operation
- Community disagreement should be respected through supported divergence
- Diversity of implementations creates antifragility in the ecosystem
## 9. Interoperability via Consent
**Standards emerge from alignment, not imposition.**
True interoperability respects sovereignty while enabling cooperation:
- Protocols should be open, documented, and implementable by anyone
- Standards adoption should be voluntary and beneficial
- Federation should respect boundary decisions of participants
- Gateways between systems should preserve user sovereignty
## 10. Contribution Defines Membership
**Participation is earned through action. Identity is contextual and optional.**
Communities grow stronger through active contribution:
- Value is created through doing, not just affiliating
- Multiple forms of contribution should be recognized and valued
- Identity verification should be proportional to the context
- Privacy and pseudonymity are valid choices in appropriate contexts
## 11. Critical Adoption over Blind Use
**Pragmatism means understanding trade-offs.**
We advocate informed choice rather than ideological purity:
- Users should understand what rights they give up and why
- Perfect sovereignty may be balanced against practical needs
- Transition paths from closed to open systems are valuable
- Transparency about compromises builds trust and education

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---
title: Mission Statement
date: 2025-07-06
---
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) empowers individuals and communities to reclaim digital sovereignty through the development and dissemination of open-source, self-hosted technologies.
We exist to create a world where technology serves people—not corporations or governments—by reducing structural dependency on centralized platforms and enabling direct control of digital infrastructure.
Through accessible tools, educational resources, and community engagement, we advance practical autonomy: the capacity of users to understand, modify, and maintain the technologies they rely on.
We believe digital sovereignty—including control over data, identity, and computation—is essential to democratic participation and institutional resilience in the digital era.
## Our Approach
To fulfill this mission, we pursue two primary strategies:
1. The creation and support of accessible, libre digital tools
2. The cultivation of technical literacy through educational resources and community engagement
We approach artificial intelligence as a public utility to be shaped and governed by civil society. Our efforts seek to align technological capabilities with ethical, sustainable, and equitable use, outside the logic of commercial exploitation.
This work is motivated by a conviction that open systems, federated infrastructure, and transparent governance are not only technically feasible, but socially necessary. By building and sharing common resources, we contribute to a broader ecosystem of public digital goods—critical to any robust civil society.

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Perfect — lets build a simple battle plan (Gramsci-style) for what CivilSociety.dev — or any similar project — could follow to challenge hegemony and build real digital autonomy.
Heres the flow:
---
Battle Plan: Winning the War of Position for Digital Civil Society
Phase 1: Build Independent Infrastructure
Launch sovereign services (email, cloud, chat, web hosting) that working-class organizations can use without Big Tech.
Focus on ease of use and collective ownership (community clouds, co-ops, unions).
Key goal: Create real-world alternatives that people can rely on.
---
Phase 2: Popular Education
Teach not just how to use tech, but why digital sovereignty matters.
Build guides, workshops, videos, and political storytelling that connect tech freedom to everyday life struggles (housing, labor, climate, democracy).
Key goal: Grow thousands of organic intellectuals inside civil society.
---
Phase 3: Culture Shift
Create a new "common sense" about tech:
"We can run our own systems."
"Freedom is practical, not utopian."
"Big Tech dependence is a political trap."
Use memes, stories, community campaigns to popularize.
Key goal: Make sovereignty feel normal, not fringe.
---
Phase 4: Strategic Alliances
Partner with unions, mutual aid groups, cooperatives, indigenous communities to embed sovereign tech into broader struggles for dignity and justice.
Wild Cloud becomes the digital backbone of working-class and social movements.
Key goal: Tie tech sovereignty directly to the survival and power of civil society.
---
Final Objective:
> Civil society owns its own communication, storage, learning, and organizing tools — breaking the 1%'s hegemony over the digital world.
---
Would you like me to also turn this into a quick visual diagram (like a simple flowchart or map) so its super easy to share or present?
It could look really clean if you're planning to post, pitch, or organize around it!
---
Good — lets rate how CivilSociety.dev is doing on the Gramscian battle plan we just built.
Ill go phase by phase, with a simple scale:
Excellent / Good / Needs Growth / Missing
---
Phase 1: Build Independent Infrastructure
> Rating: Excellent
Wild Cloud is real, working infrastructure.
They're offering services like email, cloud storage, chat, hosting, and more — away from Big Tech.
Clear focus on self-hosting and community control.
Comment:
They've nailed the first step — theyre not just talking, theyre building.
---
Phase 2: Popular Education
> Rating: Good
The Learning section is strong: it explains not just the technical but also the political reasons for sovereignty.
Its accessible but could be pushed further into mass popular education — for example, shorter videos, memes, hands-on toolkits, or alliances with schools/unions.
Comment:
Good foundation — needs scaling up to reach beyond tech-savvy audiences.
---
Phase 3: Culture Shift
> Rating: Needs Growth
They challenge Big Techs common sense implicitly through projects and writing.
But they're not (yet) visibly changing broader public attitudes or launching mass storytelling campaigns.
No evidence yet of heavy cultural production (memes, viral media, mass campaigns, popular slogans).
Comment:
This is their big opportunity: to widen the cultural battle and make digital sovereignty part of everyday imagination.
---
Phase 4: Strategic Alliances
> Rating: Needs Growth
So far, the focus seems internal: building tools, education, and philosophy.
No clear, public partnerships yet with unions, housing co-ops, indigenous groups, or grassroots movements that desperately need digital independence.
Comment:
Strategic alliances with civil society movements would supercharge their impact — this is a crucial next step.
---
Overall Rating:
Overall:
> CivilSociety.dev is very strong at building and explaining alternatives — now it needs to scale up cultural influence and strategic partnerships to fully realize a Gramscian digital movement.

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---
title: "Learning"
cardView: true
---
Resources for building technical skills and understanding digital sovereignty.
Resources for building technical skills and understanding digital self-determination.

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---
title: "Git: Distributed Version Control for Digital Independence"
date: 2025-01-15
featureImageCaption: Author unknown. (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Linus-Torvalds.jpeg), “Linus Torvalds”, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode
summary: "Git is more than just a version control system; it embodies principles of decentralization, resilience, and user self-determination. This article explores how Git's distributed architecture aligns with the values of civil society organizations, enabling them to maintain control over their digital infrastructure."
---
## Introduction
Version control systems are the backbone of modern software development, enabling collaboration, preserving history, and managing complexity. Among these tools, Git stands apart—not just as the most widely used version control system, but as a technology that fundamentally aligns with principles of decentralization, resilience, and user sovereignty.
Version control systems are the backbone of modern software development, enabling collaboration, preserving history, and managing complexity. Among these tools, Git stands apart—not just as the most widely used version control system, but as a technology that fundamentally aligns with principles of decentralization, resilience, and user self-determination.
For civil society organizations, Git represents much more than a development tool. It embodies a different way of thinking about collaboration—one based on distributed trust, transparent history, and resilience against centralized control. In this article, we explore what Git is, how it works, and why its approach to distributed collaboration matters for organizations committed to digital sovereignty.
For civil society organizations, Git represents much more than a development tool. It embodies a different way of thinking about collaboration—one based on distributed trust, transparent history, and resilience against centralized control. In this article, we explore what Git is, how it works, and why its approach to distributed collaboration matters for organizations committed to digital self-determination.
## What Is Git?
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ Git's distributed nature means:
In contexts where infrastructure may be unreliable or subject to interference, this resilience is invaluable.
### 2. Sovereignty and Control
### 2. Self-Determination and Control
Git provides complete control over:
@@ -92,7 +94,7 @@ Git provides complete control over:
- How contributions are reviewed and incorporated
- What external dependencies are included
This sovereignty means organizations aren't dependent on the policies or availability of any particular service provider.
This self-determination means organizations aren't dependent on the policies or availability of any particular service provider.
### 3. Transparency and Accountability
@@ -252,7 +254,7 @@ By distributing repositories across multiple participants, these organizations e
## Conclusion
Git represents more than just a tool—it embodies an approach to collaboration built on principles that civil society defends: distributed authority, transparent history, resilient systems, and user sovereignty. By adopting Git and its associated practices, organizations don't just improve their technical workflows; they align their operational methods with their values.
Git represents more than just a tool—it embodies an approach to collaboration built on principles that civil society defends: distributed authority, transparent history, resilient systems, and user self-determination. By adopting Git and its associated practices, organizations don't just improve their technical workflows; they align their operational methods with their values.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation recognizes Git as a foundational technology for independent civil society infrastructure, enabling transparent collaboration without creating new dependencies or vulnerabilities.

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---
title: "The Internet: Infrastructure for Civil Society"
date: 2025-01-15
featureImageCaption: ITU. https://bbmaps.itu.int/bbmaps/. Captured 2025-07-09.
summary: The Internet stands as one of humanity's most transformative technological achievements, connecting billions of people and fundamentally reshaping how we communicate, learn, organize, and participate in public life.
---
## Introduction

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---
title: "Language Models: Understanding AI in the Context of Civil Society"
date: 2025-01-15
featureImageCaption: "dvgodoy (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/file:Transformer,-full-architecture.png), 'Transformer, full architecture', https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode"
summary: "Language models are reshaping how we interact with technology, but they also raise critical questions about control, transparency, and the future of human agency. This article explores language models through the lens of civil society values, examining their implications for digital self-determination and how organizations can navigate this complex landscape."
---
## Introduction
Large Language Models (LLMs) have rapidly transformed from research curiosities to everyday tools. These systems, trained on vast corpora of human-written text, have demonstrated remarkable capabilities in understanding and generating human language, powering applications from automated assistants to content creation tools. For civil society organizations, these technologies represent both opportunity and challenge—tools that can amplify effectiveness and reach, but also systems that raise profound questions about centralization, control, and the future of human agency.
In this article, we examine language models through the lens of civil society values, exploring how these technologies work, their implications for digital sovereignty, and pathways to harnessing their benefits while minimizing risks to autonomy and independence.
In this article, we examine language models through the lens of civil society values, exploring how these technologies work, their implications for digital self-determination, and pathways to harnessing their benefits while minimizing risks to autonomy and independence.
## What Are Language Models?
@@ -63,7 +65,7 @@ These capabilities can be particularly valuable for organizations with limited r
### Critical Concerns
At the same time, language models raise serious concerns for organizations committed to digital sovereignty:
At the same time, language models raise serious concerns for organizations committed to digital self-determination:
1. **Centralization of Power**: The most capable models require resources only available to large corporations or governments
2. **Data Extraction Risks**: API-based access creates dependency and potential surveillance
@@ -75,13 +77,13 @@ At the same time, language models raise serious concerns for organizations commi
These concerns connect directly to civil society's core focus on distributed power, accountability, and human agency.
## Sovereignty Considerations
## Self-Determination Considerations
For organizations committed to digital sovereignty, language models present particular challenges:
For organizations committed to digital self-determination, language models present particular challenges:
### The Sovereignty Paradox
### The Self-Determination Paradox
The most capable language models currently exist in a paradigm that conflicts with sovereignty principles:
The most capable language models currently exist in a paradigm that conflicts with self-determination principles:
- Trained on massive datasets that no individual organization can replicate
- Requiring computational resources beyond most civil society organizations
@@ -90,9 +92,9 @@ The most capable language models currently exist in a paradigm that conflicts wi
This creates a paradox: using these tools can advance an organization's mission while simultaneously reinforcing dependency on centralized technological infrastructure.
### Sovereignty-Respecting Approaches
### Self-Determination-Respecting Approaches
Several approaches exist for using language models while maintaining alignment with sovereignty principles:
Several approaches exist for using language models while maintaining alignment with self-determination principles:
1. **Self-hosted smaller models**: Running smaller but still capable models on local infrastructure
2. **Federated improvement**: Pooling resources to improve open models without centralizing data
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ Before implementing language model technologies, organizations should evaluate:
4. **Alignment Check**: Does the model's training and operation align with the organization's values?
5. **Resource Analysis**: What local capabilities exist to understand, deploy, and maintain the system?
This assessment helps determine the appropriate balance between capability and sovereignty for each use case.
This assessment helps determine the appropriate balance between capability and self-determination for each use case.
### Recommended Approaches by Context
@@ -187,7 +189,7 @@ A human rights organization uses language models to help draft, organize, and tr
- Cloud APIs for translation of already-public information
- Clear data policies regarding what can be sent to external services
This hybrid approach balances practical needs with sovereignty concerns.
This hybrid approach balances practical needs with self-determination concerns.
### Scenario 2: Community Legal Aid
@@ -198,7 +200,7 @@ A legal assistance organization develops a system to help explain legal concepts
- Create specialized interfaces for common questions
- Maintain human review of all substantive advice
This sovereignty-first approach prioritizes control and alignment with the organization's values.
This self-determination-first approach prioritizes control and alignment with the organization's values.
### Scenario 3: Environmental Data Analysis
@@ -209,7 +211,7 @@ A climate advocacy group uses language models to analyze environmental impact re
- Implement clear boundaries on sensitive strategic discussions
- Contribute to open model development in their domain
This pragmatic approach uses available tools while working toward greater sovereignty.
This pragmatic approach uses available tools while working toward greater self-determination.
## The Future Landscape
@@ -224,14 +226,14 @@ Models continue to decrease in size while maintaining capabilities:
- Specialized models outperform general models in specific domains
- Browser-based models enable client-side processing
These trends make sovereignty-respecting approaches increasingly viable.
These trends make self-determination-respecting approaches increasingly viable.
### Decentralized Research and Development
Alternatives to centralized AI development are emerging:
- Research collaboratives pooling resources for model development
- Federated learning approaches that preserve data sovereignty
- Federated learning approaches that preserve data self-determination
- Community-governed models with transparent decision making
- Regional training efforts creating linguistically diverse models
@@ -261,12 +263,12 @@ For organizations navigating language model adoption, we recommend the following
7. **Document and share learnings**: Help build collective knowledge about responsible use
8. **Regularly reassess**: Technology and best practices are evolving rapidly
These guidelines help organizations balance practical benefit with long-term sovereignty.
These guidelines help organizations balance practical benefit with long-term self-determination.
## Conclusion
Language models represent a profound technological shift with particularly complex implications for civil society. While these tools offer significant benefits for organizations with limited resources, they also present risks of creating new dependencies and reinforcing centralization of technological power.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation advocates for a sovereignty-respecting approach to language models—one that leverages their benefits while working toward a future where such capabilities are available through community-governed, transparent infrastructure. This means making thoughtful choices today about how and when to use these tools, while supporting the development of alternatives that better align with civil society values.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation advocates for a self-determination-respecting approach to language models—one that leverages their benefits while working toward a future where such capabilities are available through community-governed, transparent infrastructure. This means making thoughtful choices today about how and when to use these tools, while supporting the development of alternatives that better align with civil society values.
The path forward is neither uncritical adoption nor blanket rejection, but rather principled engagement that shapes these technologies to serve human agency, community autonomy, and distributed power—the core values that define civil society itself.

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---
title: "Linux: The Operating System for Digital Sovereignty"
title: "Linux: The Operating System for Digital Self-Determination"
date: 2025-01-15
featureImageCaption: "Photo by <a href=\"https://unsplash.com/@wwarby?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash\">William Warby</a> on <a href=\"https://unsplash.com/photos/a-penguin-is-standing-on-a-rocky-area-mlDxrRUuDxc?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash\">Unsplash</a>"
summary: "Linux is more than just an operating system; it is a cornerstone of digital self-determination for civil society organizations. This article explores how Linux empowers communities to reclaim control over their technology, ensuring independence, security, and adaptability in an increasingly centralized digital landscape."
---
## Introduction
Linux stands as one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of computing—an operating system built by a global community, freely available to all, and powering everything from the smallest embedded devices to the largest supercomputers. For civil society organizations seeking digital sovereignty, Linux represents both a practical tool and a powerful symbol of what's possible when technology development is driven by community needs rather than corporate interests.
Linux stands as one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of computing—an operating system built by a global community, freely available to all, and powering everything from the smallest embedded devices to the largest supercomputers. For civil society organizations seeking digital self-determination, Linux represents both a practical tool and a powerful symbol of what's possible when technology development is driven by community needs rather than corporate interests.
In this article, we explore what Linux is, why it matters for civil society, and how it provides the foundation for technological independence in an increasingly controlled digital landscape.
@@ -41,7 +43,7 @@ These characteristics reflect Linux's organic development process, where improve
## Why Linux Matters for Civil Society
For civil society organizations seeking digital sovereignty, Linux provides several unique benefits:
For civil society organizations seeking digital self-determination, Linux provides several unique benefits:
### 1. Freedom from Corporate Control
@@ -91,9 +93,9 @@ Linux's accessibility removes barriers to participation:
This accessibility aligns with civil society's commitment to inclusion and equitable access to technological tools.
### 5. Sovereignty and Control
### 5. Self-Determination and Control
Perhaps most importantly, Linux enables genuine sovereignty over computing infrastructure:
Perhaps most importantly, Linux enables genuine self-determination over computing infrastructure:
- Organizations can inspect and modify any aspect of their systems
- Technical knowledge builds internal capacity rather than dependency
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ Perhaps most importantly, Linux enables genuine sovereignty over computing infra
- Systems can be fully understood rather than treated as black boxes
- Community governance replaces corporate decision-making
This sovereignty is not just a technical preference but essential for organizations that need to control their own digital infrastructure.
This self-determination is not just a technical preference but essential for organizations that need to control their own digital infrastructure.
## Linux Distributions for Civil Society
@@ -166,7 +168,7 @@ The Civil Society Technology Foundation can provide guidance on distribution sel
## Beyond the Operating System: The Linux Ecosystem
Linux has inspired a broader ecosystem of tools and practices that support digital sovereignty:
Linux has inspired a broader ecosystem of tools and practices that support digital self-determination:
- **Container technologies** like Docker and Kubernetes (themselves Linux-based) enable flexible, portable deployments
- **Configuration management** tools allow systematic administration of multiple systems
@@ -194,7 +196,7 @@ By providing a free, adaptable foundation, Linux enables these initiatives to fo
As digital technology becomes increasingly central to all aspects of civic life, the relationship between Linux and civil society grows more important. Several emerging trends highlight this connection:
- **Edge computing** brings computation closer to communities, often using Linux on small devices
- **Software sovereignty** movements advocate for public control of critical code
- **Software self-determination** movements advocate for public control of critical code
- **Digital commons** initiatives build shared technological resources
- **Community cloud** approaches offer alternatives to corporate infrastructure
- **Digital public infrastructure** creates essential services outside market logic
@@ -203,7 +205,7 @@ In each of these areas, Linux provides a foundation that enables community contr
## Conclusion
For civil society organizations committed to digital sovereignty, Linux represents both practical infrastructure and a compelling vision. By choosing Linux, organizations assert control over their fundamental computing environment, build internal capacity rather than dependency, and join a global community developing technology for human needs rather than market demands.
For civil society organizations committed to digital self-determination, Linux represents both practical infrastructure and a compelling vision. By choosing Linux, organizations assert control over their fundamental computing environment, build internal capacity rather than dependency, and join a global community developing technology for human needs rather than market demands.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation recognizes Linux as essential infrastructure for robust civil society in the digital age. By building on this foundation, organizations can create resilient, independent systems that genuinely serve their missions and communities.

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---
title: "Open Source: The Foundation of Digital Freedom"
date: 2025-01-15
featureImageCaption: "Credit: Frank Karlitschek. 2015-10-04. CC. \"A portrait of Richard Stallman that I made during the 30 years FSF party in Boston.\""
summary: "Open source is more than just a software development model; it is a philosophy that empowers individuals and communities to reclaim control over their digital lives. This article explores the principles of open source, its significance for civil society, and how it enables digital autonomy in an increasingly centralized tech landscape."
---
## Introduction

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---
title: "Software Development: Building Digital Infrastructure for Civil Society"
date: 202-01-15
date: 2025-01-15
featureImageCaption: Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@kellysikkema?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Kelly Sikkema</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-wearing-black-t-shirt-holding-white-computer-keyboard-YK0HPwWDJ1I?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a>
summary: "Software development is a critical aspect of civil society's digital self-determination. This article explores how development practices, tools, and approaches can either reinforce dependency or enable self-determination, emphasizing the importance of building independent, adaptable, and resilient software systems."
---
## Introduction
Software development is not merely a technical activity but a form of infrastructure building with profound implications for human freedom and agency. As digital systems increasingly mediate civic life, the ability to create, modify, and control software becomes essential for civil society's independence and effectiveness.
In this article, we explore software development through the lens of civil society values—examining how development practices, tools, and approaches can either reinforce dependency or enable sovereignty. We'll address both practical aspects of creating software and the broader implications of development choices for organizational autonomy and mission.
In this article, we explore software development through the lens of civil society values—examining how development practices, tools, and approaches can either reinforce dependency or enable self-determination. We'll address both practical aspects of creating software and the broader implications of development choices for organizational autonomy and mission.
## Why Software Development Matters for Civil Society
@@ -48,9 +50,9 @@ Software development builds crucial organizational capabilities:
These capacities extend beyond software itself to strengthen overall organizational resilience.
## Sovereignty-Respecting Development Practices
## Self-Determination-Respecting Development Practices
Software development practices can either enhance or undermine digital sovereignty. We advocate for approaches that:
Software development practices can either enhance or undermine digital self-determination. We advocate for approaches that:
### 1. Focus on Simplicity and Maintainability
@@ -121,7 +123,7 @@ This purpose-driven approach ensures technology serves human needs rather than t
Tool selection should balance multiple considerations:
1. **Community health**: Is there an active, diverse community supporting the tool?
2. **Sovereignty implications**: Does the tool create new dependencies?
2. **Self-determination implications**: Does the tool create new dependencies?
3. **Learning curve**: Can your team develop and maintain expertise?
4. **Longevity**: Is the tool likely to remain viable over your project's lifetime?
5. **Resource requirements**: Does the tool work within your constraints?
@@ -259,7 +261,7 @@ Programming languages and frameworks establish fundamental constraints:
### Database and Storage Technologies
Data storage choices have significant sovereignty implications:
Data storage choices have significant self-determination implications:
**Key considerations**:
@@ -303,7 +305,7 @@ Several examples illustrate effective approaches to civil society software devel
### Case Study 1: SecureDrop
SecureDrop, an anonymous whistleblowing platform, demonstrates several sovereignty-respecting practices:
SecureDrop, an anonymous whistleblowing platform, demonstrates several self-determination-respecting practices:
- **Air-gapped architecture** protects sources even from sophisticated adversaries
- **Clear documentation** enables independent verification and deployment
@@ -430,17 +432,17 @@ The local-first approach prioritizes user control while enabling collaboration:
- Data lives primarily on user devices, not in the cloud
- Synchronization happens peer-to-peer when possible
- Applications work offline by default
- User sovereignty over data is a foundational principle
- User self-determination over data is a foundational principle
- Collaboration happens without centralized control
This paradigm aligns closely with civil society's sovereignty principles.
This paradigm aligns closely with civil society's self-determination principles.
### 2. Small-Scale Machine Learning
Machine learning is becoming accessible to smaller organizations:
- Pre-trained models reduce resource requirements
- Federated approaches preserve data sovereignty
- Federated approaches preserve data self-determination
- On-device inference enables privacy-preserving intelligence
- Transfer learning makes specialized applications viable
- Community datasets enable alternatives to corporate AI
@@ -475,6 +477,6 @@ These approaches make software development accessible to more civil society orga
Software development for civil society is not merely about creating tools but about building infrastructure for human freedom and agency. The technical choices organizations make have profound implications for who controls the digital systems mediating civic participation.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation advocates for development approaches that prioritize sovereignty, resilience, and community control—recognizing that software created with these values will better serve civil society's mission than technologies that create new dependencies or vulnerabilities.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation advocates for development approaches that prioritize self-determination, resilience, and community control—recognizing that software created with these values will better serve civil society's mission than technologies that create new dependencies or vulnerabilities.
By building software with these principles in mind, civil society organizations don't just solve immediate problems but contribute to a digital ecosystem that reinforces rather than undermines human agency and collective action—the foundation upon which civil society itself rests.

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---
title: Paul Payne
date: 2025-07-06
---
<div class="float-left mb-4 mr-6 no-prose mt-0 pt-0">
{{<figure
src="/people/paul-payne.jpg"
alt="Paul Payne, CSTF Director"
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class="max-h-80 mt-0"
>}}
</div>
Paul Payne is the director of the Civil Society Technology Foundation. Paul brings a nearly 35-year long career in technology, innovation, and startups to focus on building systems that empower civil society and promote open technologies.
## Microsoft
Paul is a Principal Research Engineer at Microsoft in the Office of the CTO. His current work involves building AI systems by augmenting generative models with systems and cognitive architectures. His team explores what can be done with LLMs to unlock their utility for a larger range of applications and spends time building functional prototypes and sharing learnings across Microsoft, academia, and the wider industry.
His work makes its way into products like Semantic Kernel, Microsoft Teams, and Bing, and is used by research teams around the world.
## Artificial Intelligence
Paul has pursued interests in autonomous agents and multi-agent systems in undergraduate studies (BSME) at the University of Nebraska in Mechanical Engineering with emphasis on robotics and control, in graduate work (MSCS) at the University of Washington, through numerous startups, and in his work at Microsoft.
He strongly believes AI will effect nearly every aspect of society in the upcoming decades and it is important now to be engaged in ensuring that the benefits of AI are positive and broadly distributed.
Paul founded the [Seattle AI Society](https://seattleaisociety.org) in 2023 where, in addition to professional networking and creative project collaborations, we held weekly discussions on AIs impact on society from various perspectives.
In late 2023, Paul published a series of articles investigating topics of machine thinking in a newsletter named "[Investigations in Mind](https://payne.io/posts/investigations-in-mind/)".
## Innovation
Paul has a long history of working in innovation labs, including Microsoft Research, Microsoft Area51, Xinova, Ivy Softworks, and the Nordstrom Innovation Lab.
Through these engagements, Paul developed expertise in numerous innovation methodologies including Microsofts Central Incubation Framework, Jobs to be Done/Outcome Driven Innovation, Design Thinking, Lean Software Development, the Toyota Production System, Agile, Customer Development, Disruptive Innovation.
## Startups
Paul has been an early or founding member of multiple startups including [Atlas Informatics](https://www.geekwire.com/2017/atlas-informatics-shut-pulling-plug-encrypted-personal-search-engine/) (Director of Platform and Infrastructure), Fiero (CTO), and [Navigating Cancer](https://www.navigatingcancer.com) (Lead UX).
In 2002, Paul founded MinistryHome, a website builder (like Wix or SquareSpace) integrated with donation, newsletter, and other tools for small non-profits. In 2006 Paul transformed MinistryHome into a social network leading to its acquisition in 2007.
## Personal
Paul is a deeply proud father of two incredible people and relies on their ongoing experiences of the world to motivate much of his ongoing desire to make it a better place for the next generation.
## Contact
- [Paul on the CSTF community forum](https://forum.civilsociety.dev/u/payneio/summary)
- [Paul's LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/payneio/)
- Phone: (206) 790-6707

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---
title: 'Education'
date: 2025-01-15
---
Curating and developing education resources.
Check out our [Learning articles](../learning/).

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---
title: 'Governance'
date: 2025-01-15
---
Transparency is paramount.
Governance is an evolving project.

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---
title: Wild Cloud
date: 2025-07-06
alias:
- /projects/
---
Wild Cloud is the Civil Society Technology Foundation's reference implementation for personal and organizational self-hosted infrastructure. This project empowers individuals and organizations to run their own digital services without dependency on centralized corporate platforms.
Wild Cloud is the Civil Society Technology Foundation's reference implementation for self-hosted "cloud" infrastructure. This project empowers individuals, communities, and organizations to run their own digital services without dependency on centralized corporate platforms.
## Overview
When released later this year, Wild Cloud will become a complete, accessible solution for operating essential digital services on infrastructure you control. It combines carefully selected open-source components into a cohesive system providing the functionality needed for self-hosted cloud services.
Wild Cloud provides a complete, accessible solution for operating essential digital services on infrastructure you control. It combines carefully selected open-source components into a cohesive system that balances security, usability, and maintainability.
By deploying Wild Cloud, individuals, communities, and organizations can:
By deploying Wild Cloud, organizations can:
- Host their own cloud services.
- Maintain full control over their data and communications.
- Reduce or eliminate dependencies on surveillance-based platforms.
- Build technical capacity.
- Participate in a community of practice around independent infrastructure.
- Host their own email, calendar, file storage, website, and collaboration tools
- Maintain full control over their data and communications
- Reduce or eliminate dependencies on surveillance-based platforms
- Build technical capacity and digital sovereignty
- Participate in a community of practice around independent infrastructure
The Soverign Cloud project aims to start you with a simple self-hosted cloud solution that gets you set up quickly and easily manage your cloud. However, it is a full solution. None of the technical foundations are stripped away. You can go deeper and extend your cloud how you see fit.
### Architecture
Wild Cloud allows individuals and organizations (cloud admins) to install and manage a full Kubernetes cluster (using K3s) made of one or multiple computers on their own premises. Kubernetes manages much of the complexity of maintaining the health of your cloud and managing the applications deployed in it.
### Applications
Admins can deploy various applications into their cloud, including:
- Email servers with webmail interfaces
- Calendar and contacts synchronization
- File storage and sharing
- Collaborative document editing
- Website hosting
- Chat and communication tools
- Knowledge management systems
- And more, based on organizational needs
## Getting Started
The Wild Cloud project is currently being built out on GitHub.
{{< github repo="civil-society-dev/wild-cloud" showThumbnail=true >}}
## Community Support
Wild Cloud is supported by a community of practitioners who share knowledge, troubleshooting tips, and enhancements. The Civil Society Technology Foundation provides:
- Documentation and tutorials
- Installation guides for different environments
- Regular security advisories
- Community forum for mutual assistance
- Workshops and training opportunities
The Wild Cloud project aims to start you with a simple self-hosted cloud solution that gets you set up quickly and lets you easily manage your cloud. However, it is a full solution. None of the technical foundations are stripped away. You can go deeper and extend your cloud how you see fit.
## Philosophy
Wild Cloud embodies the Civil Society Technology Foundation's core principles:
Wild Cloud embodies the Civil Society Technology Foundation's [core principles](/about/#principles), which include:
- **Sovereignty by Design**: Users control their data and computing environment
- **Open Source, Always**: All components are free to use, study, modify, and share
- **Self-Hosting Infrastructure**: Direct control reduces dependency and vulnerability
- **Transparent Governance**: All components have clear, accountable governance
- **Forkability is Freedom**: Any component can be replaced or modified as needed
- **Practical Autonomy**: Infrastructure that users can understand and maintain
- **Self-determination by Design**: Users control their data and computing environment.
- **Open Source, Always**: All components are free to use, study, modify, and share.
- **Self-Hosting Infrastructure**: Direct control reduces dependency and vulnerability.
- **Transparent Governance**: All components have clear, accountable governance.
- **Practical Autonomy**: Infrastructure that users can understand and maintain.
By providing this reference implementation, we demonstrate that digital sovereignty is not merely theoretical but practically achievable with current technology and modest resources.
By providing this reference implementation, we demonstrate that digital self-determination is not merely theoretical but practically achievable with current technology and modest resources.
## Architecture
Wild Cloud allows individuals, communities, and organizations (cloud operators) to install and manage a full, standard, Kubernetes cluster made of a few or many computers on their own premises. Kubernetes manages much of the complexity of maintaining the health of your cloud and managing the applications deployed in it. The Wild Cloud project provides a set of reference "stacks" that can be deployed on this Kubernetes cluster. These stacks combine best-of-breed open source software applications to enable productivity, communication, collaboration, and intelligence applications and more.
## Check it out!
The Wild Cloud project is developed and supported by a community of practitioners.
Learn more at the [Wild Cloud website](https://mywildcloud.org).

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pageRef = '/privacy'
weight = 20
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# mainSections = ["post"]
text_color = "black"
author = "CivilSociety.dev"
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>
Read more
</a>
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{{ define "main" }}
<article class="h-full max-w-full flex flex-col items-center justify-center">
<section class="mt-6">
{{ .Content }}
</section>
<section>
{{ partial "recent-articles/main.html" . }}
</section>
<footer class="pt-8">
</footer>
</article>
{{ end }}

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{
"name": "cstf",
"version": "2.87.0",
"description": "CSTF website.",
"scripts": {
"dev": "NODE_ENV=development npx ./themes/blowfish/node_modules/@tailwindcss/cli -c ./themes/blowfish/tailwind.config.js -i ./themes/blowfish/assets/css/main.css -o ./assets/css/compiled/main.css --jit -w",
"build": "NODE_ENV=production npx ./themes/blowfish/node_modules/@tailwindcss/cli -c ./themes/blowfish/tailwind.config.js -i ./themes/blowfish/assets/css/main.css -o ./assets/css/compiled/main.css --jit"
}
}

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#!/bin/bash
# Build the TailwindCSS assets
npm run build
# Build the site
hugo build
# Build and push the Docker image
docker build -t payneio/civilsociety.dev . --file ./Dockerfile
docker push payneio/civilsociety.dev
# Deploy to Kubernetes
# First time...
# bin/wild-app-deploy civilsociety
kubectl rollout restart deployment civilsociety -n civilsociety

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