Conversational Morality and Information Circulation: How Tacit Notions about Good and Evil Influence Online Knowledge Exchange

Technologists often support the idea that knowledge exchange is best achieved by engaging in debate that does not involve moral considerations. Such a position is difficult to achieve given that technical choices are often morally laden. Indeed, many supporters of the Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) movement use specific technologies because of the moral benefits of F/OSS and the ethical concerns about using alternative proprietary technologies and products. F/OSS supporters wish to promote a free exchange of ideas that is not censored by governments or corporations. Ironically, conversations about F/OSS and competing technologies in informal learning environments online can often foreclose wider debate if the participants unreflectively perform their moral affiliation to particular technologies. Participants in online technical communities often show their moral support of technologies and display alignment to certain values associated with the technologies in order to negotiate a favorable identity among peers who espouse similar ideas and goals. However, some interactive identity performances of technical affiliation may complicate online participants' ability to circulate wider knowledge and encourage broader, morally-neutral discussion of user needs and concerns.