Summary

About

Background

Contrary to the early visions of the Internet and web, we have seen a major encroachment by large organizations into individual autonomy, privacy and freedom of the web. Much of our traffic is monitored, our information captured and our online lives spied upon, and it is critical for the future of the web as we know it to change that.

The Internet Society DC and People’s Internet onAir Hub  are sponsoring a panel discussion from some of the cutting-edge organizations promoting an internet that gives people agency of their digital world… returning control of user data and web activities to their owners. They represent the types of organizations and technologies that can  return our online spaces to the earlier communal, non-commercial forms they used to have. Each organization represented will discuss its work and how they hope to contribute to a better tomorrow.

Web Links

• ISOC-DC Website
• People’s Internet onAir hub
• Sustainable Media Center
• Project Liberty Labs

Panelist 1: Braxton Woodham

Braxton Woodham is the Chief Technology Officer of Project Liberty and co-creator of the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP). His work centers on building open, scalable technology infrastructure that empowers individuals with greater agency in their digital lives.

For more than two decades, Braxton has been at the forefront of developing, scaling, and commercializing innovative software platforms across multiple industries. Before joining Project Liberty, he co-founded and served as Executive Chairman of kuma.capital, a software company focused on systematic digital asset trading.

Previously, he was Chief Technology and Product Officer at Fandango, where he oversaw product development and technology operations across a portfolio that included Fandango Ticketing, Rotten Tomatoes, FandangoNOW, MovieTickets.com, Flixster, MovieClips, Ingresso in Brazil, and Fandango.lat. He also led the company’s technical strategy, diligence, and integration efforts for eight acquisitions.

Panelist 2: Emma Lembke

Emma Lembke is a Gen Z pioneer in youth digital wellness who has rapidly emerged as one of the most influential young voices advocating for healthier social media use. At just 17, she channeled her own struggles with social media addiction into founding the LOG OFF Movement in 2020, an international organization that empowers young people to develop healthier relationships with technology. Emma is Director of Gen Z Advocacy, Sustainable Media Center

Her impact has grown far beyond LOG OFF’s initial scope. As co-founder of Design It For Us and a member of the Gen Z Board of the Sustainable Media Center, Lembke bridges the gap between youth experience and policy action. In February 2024, she brought her powerful perspective to the Senate Judiciary Committee, testifying about social media’s impact on teen mental health and the urgent need for change. Additionally, Lembke was recently awarded Forbes 30 Under 30 in the Social Media category for her work advocating for healthier digital spaces.

Panelist 3: Todd Gillette

Todd Gillette is Chair of onAir Networks, the nonprofit organization supporting the People’s Internet onAir hub.

Todd also is the lead developer of the onAir knowledge sharing platform.

Todd earned his PhD in Neuroscience in 2015 from George Mason University, having researched informatics and data analytics methods applied to neuronal morphology and function. He holds a BS in Engineering and BA in Computer Science from Swarthmore College.

Todd has also studied and applied artificial intelligence, including machine learning and logical ontology-based techniques. The intersections of AI and biological brains, and how to leverage them to enhance human capabilities in an ethical and human-centered manner, continue to be one of Todd’s primary interests.

For more information on Todd, go to his onAir post