Brownstone Institute: Case Study
In May of 2021, I was working on a side-hustle, pro-bono build of what would become Brownstone Institute.
I had previously migrated and rebuilt the American Institute for Economic Research website as well as building and launching the Great Barrington Declaration website, so my approach to designing and developing had shifted toward a much cleaner and lighter footprint.
Stemming from the blatant censorship industrial complex that was on the rise (fact checkers, take-downs of entire domains and businesses, cancellation of dissident voices, et al.) the decision to move away from anything cloud related was vital. It became very clear that we needed an agile platform that was not mired in bureaucracy or easily intimidated by external forces.
Such an organization also needed experienced hands who know about the challenges of public life in a digital age alongside the many considerations that go into surviving as a voice of dissent in times of grave censorship.
Results and Success
Over time, a site degrades unless there is a consistent maintenance schedule (update plugins, clean databases, upgrade equipment, audit resources and codebase, etc.) As you can see, the difference is staggering when comparing the Brownstone Institute site which is updated daily with a site I built and maintained in the past that has since fallen into a state of atrophy.
Controlled Growth and Future Proofing
I’ve continued to look for opportunities to strengthen Brownstone Institute’s footing among the relentless changes that come with the uncertainty of being online. From eschewing third-party providers and establishing a secure and independent profile to finding new ways for creating engagement when those third party resources betray the trust of a once free internet, the challenges remain daunting.
As of mid-2024, new server hardware has been brought online to supplant aging servers and technology, thereby establishing a secure, backed-up future that allows the public access to vital information that is otherwise throttled by captured industries.
Additionally, I’ve recently moved the group email conversations away from Google and on to an open source platform fully under the control of Brownstone Institute. This was triggered by blatant removal/censorship of a post in a private group due to an “external” report.
Dissidents need a voice now more than ever. The big pharma, big academia, big business, and big government apologists and enforcers will continue to look for ways to silence inquiry and debate.
The founders, Jeffrey Tucker and myself, fellows, researchers, academics, authors, and supporters of Brownstone Institute will continue to push for answers and for accountability.
