Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

Jerry is involved in collective efforts to advance methods for improving data and models that inform government and private industry decision makers about the role of food systems in achieving “sustainable nutrition security”—our ability to meet growing demand for safe, affordable, and nutritious food in a sustainable manner.

Open Source 174

Open Source Open Illinois Model 174

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 28, 2013

Together, we hope to join with the countries of the world, the publishing industry, the World Blind Union and its national affiliates, our peer authorized entities—as well as people with print disabilities themselves—to end the book famine. Together, we can provide equal access to humankind’s knowledge.

Library 225

Library Government United States Accessibility 225

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JULY 28, 2014

Gerardo helped Benetech dramatically increase our capacity to benefit larger populations by scaling our services, revamping our innovation process, and establishing a thriving network of industry partners and volunteers.

Open Source 184

Open Source Literacy eBook Empowerment 184

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 26, 2013

We need balanced intellectual property regimes that allow for socially beneficial applications, while allowing industry to make money. And, we frequently depend on the good will of companies and rights holders to provide us with free or inexpensive access to the assets that they control.

Internet 142

Internet Copyright Law Open Source 142

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 5, 2009

We have been very lucky to continue to partner more closely with the publishing industry, as a major segment of educational publishers come on board with Bookshare: the university presses.

Press 114

Press University Chicago eBook 114

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 9, 2014

With today’s rapid technology and industry shifts, I believe that investments in innovations can open up new frontiers for tackling society’s toughest problems, including the education gap. As a grant-seeker, I am always excited to see a group of donors gathering together around a common objective—and a common application!

Education 164

Education Philanthropy Africa Foundation 164

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

If we and the publishing industry succeed in this, then libraries like Bookshare will gradually move to filling the same kind of secondary role that public libraries fulfill for the general public: access to books for those too poor to purchase them, or for those who need to do research and don''t care to purchase every book they consult.

Accessibility 133

Accessibility Amazon Library eBook 133

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 3, 2016

And while the publishing industry was skittish about Bookshare’s library at first, now more than 500 publishers are our partners, directly providing over 80% of the 5,000 books we add to our collection each month. It has a minimal impact on the financial interests of the publishing industry. And it is within our reach.

Copyright 100

Copyright United States Library eBook 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 5, 2009

In 1996, the publishing industry and the disability community in the United States got together and agreed on an exemption to copyright to solve this problem. And, the book industry hasn’t collapsed. We stopped making access contingent on the need to complete a no-revenue contract. At least, not because of Bookshare!

Copyright 158

Copyright Comment Proposal Accessibility 158

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 1, 2016

And Silicon Valley understands it as such a moment for the tech industry generally. The government does not, and should not, have automatic access to every secret. The battle between Apple and the FBI is one of those crucial limit-setting moments. If the FBI can force Apple to construct a back door for one iPhone for the U.S. and globally.

Develop 100

Develop Government United States Africa 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 22, 2013

It wasn’t too many years ago when our pharmaceutical industry more or less argued that people with AIDS in Africa should die rather than to license their medicines for low cost manufacture. I want to advocate for “giving the sleeves off your vest” strategy!

Syria 196

Syria Guatemala Open Source Lecture 196

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 3, 2009

This weekend, I made my first educational microloan, to Claudia Belén García Royz of Nicaragua, who is studying to be an industrial engineer. Outside the U.S., educational loans are not so common. And, education is the way out of poverty.

Education 100

Education Nicaragua Kiva Amazon 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 17, 2014

The next time you set your digital device of choice to record your favorite show so you can watch it whenever you want, take a moment to be thankful that you’re protected from lawsuits from the entertainment industry. often leads the way towards that better tomorrow.

Copyright 196

Copyright Law Accessibility Library 196

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 10, 2014

Gresh and Robert Weinberg; The Spark of Life: Electricity in the Human Body , by Frances Ashcroft; E = MC2: A Biography of the World''s Most Famous Equation , by David Bodanis; Life at the Extremes: The Science of Survival , by Frances Aschcroft; Ninety Percent of Everything: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry That Puts Clothes on Your Back, Gas (..)

Life 147

Life Gift eBook France 147

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 28, 2006

Now, digital divide has been a buzzword for a long time, but we've learned a lot from different initiatives and the ICT industry is very interested in continuing to work on the issue from a lot of angles.

Industry 100

Industry Trend Government Issue 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 14, 2013

We’re operating at the nexus of multiple high-change and high-impact industries, from the mission-driven technology development sector to the social sector users who utilize that technology to “be the change they wish to see.”

Technology 129

Technology Pledge Music University 129

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 24, 2010

and as far as I know, most of the other exceptions) law, there is no approval or authorization by other entities, whether government, publishing industry or the disability consumer organizations. This is a crucial point. When you use the exception, you are asserting that your organization meets this qualification.

Authoring 150

Authoring Paraguay Law Copyright 150

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

OCTOBER 3, 2005

But, the disputes between Google and the publishing industry and authors needs to be concluded before things will move forward. The Google Library question is a hot one, and we believe that this project will lead to better access for disadvantaged people. Good summary in the attached review post: Does Google Library violate copyright?

Copyright 100

Copyright Library Summary Google 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 20, 2009

Dozens of publishers and authors have signed contracts with Bookshare that confirm and support its work as an authorized entity as well.

Authoring 100

Authoring Copyright Library Award 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 28, 2006

I just had a great meeting with Jenny Zhao where we talked about the cell phone industry in China. Jenny manages the China operations for a global cell phone technology company. One of our dreams for the Route 66 technology is that it could be used to teach reading to people all over the world, in English as well as other languages.

China 100

China Phone Literacy Ideas 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 9, 2013

Globalization and the digital transformation of the book industry also stand behind the recent big news in the publishing world about the mega-merger of Penguin and Random House , says Ed Nawotka. For more on this point, see this editorial by the inimitable Javier Celaya (more on Javier later in this post).

Spain 151

Spain Language America Law 151

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 24, 2006

These were substantive and informative conversations, and are crucial parts of taking the rapport with the publishing industry that we've developed inside the U.S. I was able to meet with two key people from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) as well as the head of the International Publisher's Association, Jens Bammel.

Stream 100

Stream Profile Philanthropy International 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 10, 2009

I've found the publishing industry (and Google for that matter) to be willing to do socially responsible things voluntarily, because it's the right thing. I think the publishing industry has a long and proud history of being willing to help people with disabilities, and authors are equally willing to support this as well.

Amazon 100

Amazon Accessibility eBook Problem 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 4, 2014

If an idea catches fire, then we have likely found our next venture and engage our own “angel investors” called Benetech Labs Partners.

Technology 163

Technology Profit Application Method 163

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 18, 2007

North Carolina is interested, because they see it as a way to buy unused industrial properties and make them available to businesses that could resume making furniture (since NC has been losing these jobs to Asia). The investments would essentially lower the cost of doing business.

North Carolina 100

North Carolina Long Beach Asia Proposal 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 27, 2010

The room was buzzing with ideas about improving society, and taking advantage of this precious opportunity to interact with the captains of industry and government leaders. Getting a bunch of social entrepreneurs together in one room is a great way to start the week. We know social entrepreneurs are at the leading edge of that effort!

Bangladesh 100

Bangladesh Proposal Switzerland Adopt 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 25, 2013

Through Patrick’s analysis and our conversations with human rights groups around the world, we learned that the human rights sector—albeit being an information processing industry—used information technology nowhere near full potential and that human rights fieldworkers were the least served with information technology.

Burma 168

Burma Analysis Guatemala Law 168

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

The publishing industry and disability organizations both agreed on this provision of copyright law. The Section 121 copyright exception (often known as the Chafee Amendment after the Senator who introduced it in 1996) makes it possible for Benetech to scan just about any book and make it available to this community.

Copyright 158

Copyright Social Law Student 158

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 16, 2005

Janice is an experienced executive from the media and technology industries, and I am quite excited to have a senior executive adding her perspective in our operations! Another great piece of news is that Janice Carter has joined Benetech as our Director of Literacy Programs, and is now general manager of Bookshare.org.

Literacy 100

Literacy Florida Library Fun 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 23, 2014

Our Born Accessible and DIAGRAM Center initiatives are leading the way towards this transition to inclusive publishing, by engaging a broad community of industry and technology leaders.

Literacy 158

Literacy eBook United Kingdom Accessibility 158

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JULY 3, 2013

As the entire industry is changing the ways in which content is produced and as digital content becomes increasingly media rich, we want to ensure that all content that is born digital is also born accessible.

Literacy 208

Literacy eBook Images Accessibility 208

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

OCTOBER 30, 2006

Though there is no particular restriction on industry, the goal of the venture must include a focus on social impact as well as financial sustainability. Who should attend? Any social entrepreneur in the Bay Area who has at least a reasonably well-developed business idea or venture.

Global 100

Global San Francisco Social Student 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 31, 2006

Another film was a compelling version of the turning point for Victoria Hale when a taxidriver challenged her thinking about why the pharma industry can't make drugs that could save hundreds of thousands of lives (because the customers would only be poor people). and more.

Paraguay 100

Paraguay Nepal Brazil Award 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 27, 2013

Bookshare is a global asset we built in partnership with our user community, and then the publishing industry jumped on board to help. Partnership Plan: We engage cross-sector stakeholders who help us ensure that our product truly creates social change.

Develop 144

Develop Social Library eBook 144

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 5, 2008

The military and tourism are Guam's two big industry. The presence is growing: the U.S. is relocating our units from Okinawa to Guam and this could grow the island's population anywhere from 20% to 40%. Japan is the biggest source of tourists for Guam, with growing numbers from other Asian nations like South Korea.

Guam 100

Guam Micronesia South Korea Marshall Islands 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 13, 2008

Technology Industry: Social entrepreneurs, information technology thought leaders, and executive/senior management in technology-related companies. Corporate Finance and Internal Control: Chief Financial Officers, executive directors, Board members who have chaired finance or audit committees of foundations or nonprofits.

San Francisco 100

San Francisco California Philanthropy Director 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 13, 2009

But, you have to realize that authors get the short end of the stick in the publishing business (not that there is that much stick to go around in the publishing industry!). It’s easy to dismiss the authors’ concerns (as many have in the tech community) as greedy or Luddite. There are very few authors making the big bucks.

Accessibility 100

Accessibility eBook Amazon Audio 100