What happens when hundreds or thousands of people show up unexpectantly in one place? This is the concept behind smart mobs, a term coined by writer Howard Rheingold, which describes the use of modern technology to quickly mobilize people for spontaneous creative gatherings. People use network technologies like cell phones, beepers, text messaging systems, email and other stuff to organize networks into spontaneous nodes of public activity. This has lately become a trendy fun activity in several cities, but it has its basis no decentralized, assymetrical organizing, protest and warfare that anarchistshave been practicing for several years, most notably in the organized bike traffic "smart mob" known as Critical Mass. Smart mobs in the Phillippines toppled the president of that country through protests organized by beepers and cell phones and messaging systems. And the Santarchy phenomenon is another cultural example of smart mobs in action.

The Infoshop.org SmartMob Project is an attempt to reclaim the political and activism dimension behind the smart mob concept. Creative social activism can be organized ina decentralized fashion using our existing social networks. Critical Mass and Reclaim the Streets are but a few examples of this proof of concept, in fact, RTS and similar networked activism are the basis for the creation of the anti-globalization and anti-capitalist movements. Here at Infoshop.org, we think that dissent should be creative and fun. It doesn't have to always come out of endless meetings or out of rigid organizations. So join us in this grand experiement to have some fun in the streets and make protest fun again!

Your local smart mob has to be organized by you. We're only providing the dates and some contact information.

Infoshop.org SmartMob Network

Join the "Infoshop" channel at TxtMob.