Imagining a feminist internet (3 options) [starter activity]

Option 1

People work individually for 10 minutes to write down their definition/idea of a feminist internet. (Alternatively, to complete one of these sentences “In a feminist internet….” “A feminist internet is…”) It is time for them to explore and dream. It may be necessary to “warm up” the idea by asking for some basic ideas of what a feminist internet would look like. Each participant then reads their definition out loud to the whole group. As they read, the facilitator notes key words from their definitions on a flip chart. Their definition is taped to a wall for others to see, but their is no discussion on individual definitions.

Facilitators briefly summarise keywords that emerge and are recurring, aware of how these connect to concepts in the feminist principles of the internet and clusters. The discussion can deepen with participants defining what they found most important overall or simply provide an entry point to open a presentation or further exercise on the FPI.

Resources needed

Markers, paper, butcher paper, coloured post-it notes or colored paper cut in half sheets, blue tack or masking tape.

Time required

30-40 minutes total: 10 minutes to introduce and carry out individual work. 20-30 minutes to read out and analyse definition results, depending on the number of participants.

Option 2 - Imagine a feminist internet: Group work

The exercise is the same as above but designed for groups of 4. More time is necessary for group debate than report back.

Time required

35 minutes total - 20 minutes for group work, 15 minutes for report back.

Option 3 - Develop your internet dream space

(adapted from FTX: Safety reboot, creating safe online spaces)

Briefly ask participants in plenary: Why are we online? Why is it important to us? Ask participants for examples of things they are doing online that are significant to them, in different facets of their lives.

Ask them to imagine building their dream space on the internet, based on their answers to the two questions above. Invite them into small groups of 3-5 to imagine this space together.

• what is it called?
• why is this space significant?
• who and what is it for?
• what kinds of things do people do in this space?
• what are some of the rules in that place?
• what will the space look like?
• who has responsibility for managing the space?

Have the groups draw out this space as creatively as possible, and get them to prepare a creative presentation for the rest of the group. To add a more playful element, challenge the participants to try to convince the rest how great their space is – like a pitching an idea.

In plenary, as groups share back, the facilitator should write down key elements of all the spaces, aware of the feminist principles of the internet and connections.

These can serve as an input of elements to highlight when presenting the principles in the next exercise and to provide closure of common elements and key insights emerging from the groups.

Resources needed

Butcher paper, crayons or markers of many colors for each group, masking or blue tack

Time required

1 hour: 5 minutes in plenary, 25 minutes in group work, 30 minutes shareback and facilitator sumary.