Tech Community Honors Sandy Hook Victims with Web Moment of Silence
On December 21, 2012, at 9:30 AM EST, major websites including Foursquare and Hacker News will display a digital tribute to the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. This initiative, organized by Causes and SV Angel, follows Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy’s call for a moment of silence.
How the Tribute Works
- Websites can participate by embedding a simple JavaScript code snippet
- The tribute message appears temporarily but can be dismissed to resume normal browsing
- Visitors can click through to learn more about supporting gun violence prevention efforts
Participating Companies
Notable organizations joining the campaign include:
- Adobe
- AOL (TechCrunch’s parent company)
- Duke University
- Salesforce
- Gilt
- ZocDoc
Social Media Parallel
The web tribute coincides with a social media silence pledge that has gained over 100,000 commitments, including from high-profile figures like Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and celebrities Britney Spears and Joe Montana.
Technical Implementation
The campaign’s technical infrastructure was developed by Alex Wallace of Causes, with distribution coordinated by Nick Grossman and Union Square Ventures. The approach echoes the SOPA protest blackouts from January 2012, though less disruptive to website functionality.
Broader Context
This initiative aligns with the “Demand A Plan” campaign by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which has garnered support from prominent tech leaders including:
- Ron Conway (SV Angel)
- Fred Wilson (Union Square Ventures)
- Evan Williams (Twitter co-founder)
- Marc Benioff (Salesforce CEO)
The Tech Community’s Role in Social Issues
The campaign raises important questions about:
- The responsibility of tech leaders in political and social movements
- The ethical implications of using platform influence for advocacy
- Balancing activism with neutral service provision
Websites interested in participating can sign up for the code snippet, while individuals can learn more about supporting gun violence prevention efforts through the campaign’s resources.
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