Researcher

I am a PhDc at the Department of Sociology of Law at Lund University where my research focuses on social formations and communities on the Internet – trying to identify, analyze and compare clashes between net- and afk norms.

Quite recently I published a chapter in the anthology Youth Culture and Culture Net: Online Social Practices, and I have a few forthcoming articles in the tubes as well.

The main part of my research is coordinated as a part of the Cybernorms Research Group (in Swedish “forskargruppen Cybernormer“), which has the overall goal to explore the norm creating processes that appear in the wake of the changing information technology.

As a sociologist, my main approach is to investigate the internal norms of net based cultures and communities and try to relate them both to different aspects of the law and to other parts of our everyday life. My ongoing research is conducted within (or in collaboration with) communities like Dayviews, The Pirate Bay and Inte Okej, as well as other well defined net (sub) cultures.

I am also one of the initiators of the currently forming Lund University Internet Institute.

Adviser

As a long-time – both on- and offline – activist for various social issues, I have been trying to find ways to combine social activism with Internet issues. Having coordinated activist-/alternative media outlets and windling the never-ending turns surrounding online copyright fights, I have finally found my place within the field of Internet freedom related policy advisoral issues.

I am co-founder, coordinator and facilitator of many progressive projects and campaigns, whereof the most recent and notable probably are the Telecomix net activist cluster and the pro Internet think tank The Julia Group. Currently, my main activities are as a part of The Julia Group, working for a free and open Internet.

As a result of my engagement in, and understanding of, a variety of aspects of Internet and its politics I am also aiding Swedish governmental agencies and authorities in their quest for Internet friendly policies. For instance I have been a part of the digital democratization board initiated by the Swedish Minister for Development Cooperation, and I also co-organized a conference on the topic of Internet and democratic change together with the Swedish Internation Development Agency.

Analyst

Having been a regular participator in the Swedish online communities and related discussions for the last decade or even more, combined with experience from both research and politics, has made me a common analyst and commentator on net related topics.

Issues that I have covered during the recent years include, but are not limited to: net cultures (online norms and habits, net parenting, social media usage), subcultures (hackers, Wikileaks, Anonymous) and net politics (access blocking/filters, net neutrality, internet activism). If it is somewhat related to these parts of the Internet debate, I most certainly know my way around it.

On a most regular basis I am quoted, the source of facts or used as “expert” in mainstream newspapers and broadcast media, but also in more narrow or targetted publications regarding issues related to the whole Internet spectrum. Often, this is about explaining online events and phenomena, but also about deepening and widening the discussions, analyses and understandings.

This is usually done in text or by using my brain as a knowledge bank, but I also hold lectures, participate in panels and debates and moderate conversations within this field.