OCF Lab

What is OCF Lab?

OCF Lab, a website operated by Open Culture Foundation, is a platform sharing new knowledge and ideas on open source, civic technology, open data, digital rights, and internet freedom from the world. Surrounding these topics, the Lab has been publishing brief case studies, analysis, articles, and translations of foreing articles. Through these publications, OCF Lab not only aims to bring new ideas to technology communities, but also strives to let the general public have an easier approach to learn issues regarding technology. The knowledge that OCF Lab has been introducing to readers will serve as a solid basis to ignite more innovations in technology and society, and to enable the public to harness technology under this ever-changing digital era. In 2020, the Lab has published 42 weekly digests and 72 articles in Manderin and English. 25 among the 72 articles are column projects under cooperation of other online media.

What Issues OCF Lab Wants to Address?

Around 2016, digital technology seemed to open more possibilities for reforms of democracy and politics. Many people believed that technology can be used as a tool to enhance government transparency and public participation. However, after many years, more problems have been arising as the use of technology has been increasing. For example, infodmeic has been destroying people’s trust in democracy globally. After many elections, people found that causes or actions initiated online didn’t necessarily bring real change in the true world, and even polarized the society.

OCF Lab and its host organization - Open Culture Foundation (OCF) believe that “Openness” will be the solution. Through OCF Lab’s publications, diverse knowledge, thinking, and tools on open source and technology can be open to the public. With better understanding of technology, the public can have more options to mitigate problems arising from technology, and inspire innovations. OCF Lab believes that when digital technology is open to the public, it can become a force for good in human society. The progress in digital technology is unstoppable, and it will continuously be an important strength that changes humane society. Burying our heads in the sand will not solve the problems arising from the use of technology.

How Does OCF Lab Bring Changes?

OCF Lab takes the following actions to bring changes:

Interpret Technology Knowledge for the General Public

The Lab selects important technology issues from people’s daily lives as topics of publications, and uses the language understandable to the general public to interpret knowledge on technology. By doing so, the OCF Lab aims to become the bridge connecting technology communities and society.

Track Important Issues about Technology

Every day, countless issues are being discussed and then fade away on social media or other online platforms in a short time. The public thus loses the opportunity to think deeper to the issues that are really important, and can only acquire fragments of knowledge on those issues. Addressing this problem, OCF Lab continuously focuses on and tracks those important issues, systematically collects and compiles relevant knowledge, and writes introductory articles in the language that the public can understand. Readers of OCF Lab can thereby gain the whole picture of those issues and develop their own perspectives on technology.

Fulfil the Void of Knowledge on Key Issues

OCF Lab will focus on important issues that haven’t caught much attention from the public. Since the public is not familiar with those issues, the whole society also lacks sufficient knowledge about them. OCF Lab will fulfill the void of knowledge by collecting relevant literature, conducting research, and interviewing experts.

Encourage Exchanges of Ideas

OCF hopes to introduce new ideas on technology, open source, digital rights, and internet freedom through its publications, which can enable readers in different disciplines to share a similar level of knowledge on technology, and thus incentivized them to exchange ideas on technology and social issues.

Visit OCF LAB: https://lab.ocf.tw/