Greetings. As you're no doubt aware, the Internet is awash in commentary from pundits, experts, and other assorted riffraff (you can sort me into whichever of these categories that you wish), telling you why the Internet matters, what's great about the Net, what's wrong with it, how to fix it, how to control it, and in general creating a rather loud but almost entirely one-way conversation.

In the best traditions of "Web 2.0" (whatever that really means), I'd like to announce an experiment in two-way communications related to these topics. I'd like you to tell me what really matters to you about the Internet, and I want to help spread the word about the issues that you care about. But none of this can happen without your participation!

I call this effort "The Internet Issues That Matter to Me!" -- and that "me" is you.

Here's the plan. If there's anything about the Internet that you feel strongly about -- good or bad, please explain it to me in a simple, "webcam" video of no more than one minute in length, which you can create using this drop-dead simple video recording and submission page.

Wherever you are, please tell me what inspires you about the Web and the Net, or what drives you crazy about them. What are your hopes for the Internet's future? Who's doing a good job providing Internet services or capabilities, and who is screwing up big time? What, if anything, bugs or scares you about where we seem to be heading? What are your suggestions for helping to make sure that the Internet truly is for everyone, all over the planet (and someday, beyond)?

All relevant topics are open. Web services, ISPs, privacy, DMCA, content controls, network neutrality, censorship, responsibility, abuses, sites you love, sites you hate, sites and services that you wish existed.

Don't worry about making your video fancy. Just ponder what matters to you about the Internet, look your webcam straight in the lens, and go for it. Stay anonymous if you wish. How hard can 60 seconds be, right?

My intention is take these video submissions and use them to illustrate a representative sampling of Internet issues -- edited into a hopefully logical and useful presentation -- that will then be disseminated not just to the public at large, but to legislators, decision-makers, and everyone else who cares about what the Internet is and where it's heading.

Exactly how this will turn out is unknown. It is an Experiment with a capital "E" to be sure. But I hope that you'll consider donating a few minutes of your time toward submitting a quick vid explaining how you really feel about the Internet and what it means for us all.

It's up to you.

For more details or to create and submit a video, please visit the Vortex Video Form submission page.

Thanks in advance for your participation.

Be seeing you (and this time, I really mean seeing you!)

--Lauren--