For immediate release: January 5, 1997

Contact:

Michael Gosney, executive producer
415/777-9901 phone, 415/777-9929 fax
email: mg@verbum.com

Robert Gelman, producer
650/851-7799 phone & fax
email: bg@verbum.com

10th Anniversary Digital Be-In Set to Launch
with New Location, All-Night Techno Dance, Netcast

SAN FRANCISCO -- Culminating ñ10 Years of Humanistic Technology,î the 10th Annual Digital Be-In will bring an estimated 3000 together for 12 hours of speakers, performances, exhibits, dancing and internet broadcasting at 1015 Folsom, a popular south-of-Market techno club. The milestone event was originally to be staged at the cityÍs SOMAR multicultural performance space, but was moved to the popular club because of restrictive city permit procedures. This Friday, January 9th from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., the Digital Be-In will explore the theme of Human Rights in Cyberspace, in conjunction with and celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the United NationsÍ Declaration of Human Rights.

The annual Digital Be-In brings together an eclectic blend of people and groups whose work and play with creative digital media is transforming the worlds of publishing, media production, communication and education. Over the past 10 years, the event has morphed from a small digital art salon during the Macworld Expo conference into an influential cyberculture gathering featuring futurists, social innovators, techno-artists, and innovative music and visual performances. ñOur previous themes of ïFreedom of Speech on the Internet,Í where the EFF Blue Ribbon campaign was launched, and ïCultural Diversity in CyberspaceÍ have been effective rallying points. We are very pleased and stimulated to be working with the UN, Amnesty International and many other groups addressing human rights issues this year.î said event founder Michael Gosney.

The theme of this 10th year anniversary event is Human Rights in Cyberspace, timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Last yearÍs theme was Cultural Diversity in Cyberspace, and the previous year focused on Freedom of Speech on the Internet, with the launch of the Electronic Frontier FoundationÍs ñBlue Ribbon Campaign,î the most successful online activism campaign in the short history of the internet.

The Be-In will be the kick-off event for a year of Human Rights activities in the Bay Area. Because of the nature of the live netcast, the Digital Be-In will be the first of the planned events that will be able to be shared simultaneously around the world. As the impact of the internet grows in countries around the world, there comes an ability„and a respons- ibility„to use a portion of its potential to help promote and monitor human rights in all countries. This yearÍs Digital Be-In will be focusing its attention on these matters.

Additionally, experts in the digital media field associated with the Be-In will be releasing a draft of a proposed ñDeclaration of Human Rights in Cyberspaceî that addresses the fast-approaching impact of cyberspace on society and personal freedoms. The Be-In Human Rights website will incorporate a state-of-the-art online conferencing system to facilitate collaboraative development of the new Declaration, and involve individuals, businesses, governments and other organizations in support of principles related to the impact of the Net on freedoms and the human condition.

Traditionally, the Digital Be-In concludes its festivities with an all-night post-event celebration. This year, the City of San Francisco would not issue the necessary permits to allow for the ñïtil dawnî dance. The Be-In organizers instead found receptive hosts in the form of the owners of 1015 Folsom, one of a handful of clubs in the city who have permitting for all night events.

A variety of musical acts and speakers will appear, including Billy McCarthy, chairman of the UN 50th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights committee; Tony Gonzales of the International Indian Treaty Council; Floyd ñRed Crowî Westerman; Claire Greensfelder of Greenpeace and Abolition 2000; and Pat Norman, President of the San Francisco Police Commission. Also speaking is Mark Pesce, cyberspace pioneer, and Be-In producer Bob Gelman, on the main topic of Human Rights in Cyberspace:

ñThe reason for a ïDeclaration of Human Rights in CyberspaceÍ is exactly the same as those for the UNÍs Universal Declaration. WeÍre becoming an information-based society where those with the power to control access to the new media can wield immense control over the lives of individuals. My draft of this declaration, like the UN's original document, simply recognizes these facts and says that individuals should have a right to the power of the Internet and interactive media regardless of their social status, their geographic location, or their personal beliefs. No government or organization should have the ability to deny these inalienable rights arbitrarily.

Either we, the affluent new media pioneers, stand together in support of these principles, or we are guilty of widening the gap between the ïhavesÍ and the ïhave-notsÍ in modern society. I for one donÍt want to see the violent upheaval that might ultimately produce.î

Musical and performance artist guests include African music legend Hamza El Din, Grateful Dead alumnus Bob Bralove, dijeridoo shaman Stephen Kent, live electronica acts E.T.I. and Ceiba, and a multimedia performance piece by EZTV. Starting at 10:30, the event switches into even higher gear, featuring a collection of the best DJs from San FranciscoÍs ñundergroundî scene: Garth of Come-Unity, Douglas and Neal of CCC, Tracy of Mixology, SunsetÍs Galen, Grey-V of D7, Rob of Koinonea, Jeno of Nikita and many others Ü ïtil dawn.

The netcast will transmit portions of many of the speeches and performances, live on the internet, with streaming video and audio from Graham Technology Solutions and AudioNet, which will be accessible to thousands around the world. In addition, the diverse editorial staff will be writing articles and photographing the eveningÍs events which will be uploaded instantly to the Digital Be-In website, at www.be-in.com. The Be-In ñHuman Rights in Cyberspaceî website will be developed during the year-long United Nations campaign.

The 10th Annual Digital Be-In will be held on January 9, 1998, at 1015 Folsom Street in San Francisco. The event begins at 7 pm, with speakers and performers on various stages around the club appearing until 10:30, followed by a techno dance party. Tickets are $15, available from BASS ticket outlets (510-762-BASS), Ticketweb (www.ticketweb.com), Housewares at 1322 Haight St., Distractions at 1552 Haight St., Cosmic Disc at 888 Polk St., Ion Exchange in Santa Cruz 408-454-9976, Mixology in Santa Rosa 707-569-1230, or direct from Verbum 415-777-9901. Information: www.be-in.com or 415-777-9199.

The Digital Be-In is sponsored this year in part by Yahoo!, MicroPublishing News, Alexa Internet, the S.F. Bay Guardian and other visionary concerns.

The Digital Be-In is a production of multimedia publisher Verbum, Inc. (www.verbum.com), in conjunction with the Unity Foundation

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