Every year since 1992 the EFF has awarded people who fight for liberty online or create associated technology. These people are known as Pioneers. Past honorees include Cory Doctorow, Bruce Schneier, Craigslist, Anita Borg, and “Librarians Everywhere”.
The awards will be given out at a ceremony on March 4th at ETech. Michael Robertson, founder of MP3.com, SIPphone.com, Linspire, and MP3Tunes.com, will be keynoting that evening. I’ve offered him a pass via the EFF and I hope that he hangs out at the conference.
The nomination process for the Pioneer Awards is open until January 15th. Instructions for nominating are after the jump.
How to Nominate Someone for a 2008 Pioneer Award:
You may send as many nominations as you wish, but please use one email per nomination. Please submit your entries via email to pioneer@eff.org. We will accept nominations until January 15, 2008.
Simply tell us:
1. The name of the nominee,
2. The phone number or email address or website by which the nominee can be reached, and, most importantly,
3. Why you feel the nominee deserves the award.
Nominee Criteria
There are no specific categories for the EFF Pioneer Awards, but the following guidelines apply:
1. The nominees must have contributed substantially to the health, growth, accessibility, or freedom of computer-based communications.
2. To be valid, all nominations must contain your reason, however brief, for nominating the individual or organization and a means of contacting the nominee. In addition, while anonymous nominations will be accepted, ideally we’d like to contact the nominating parties in case we need further information.
3. The contribution may be technical, social, economic, or cultural.
4. Nominations may be of individuals, systems, or organizations in the private or public sectors.
5. Nominations are open to all (other than current members of EFF’s staff and operating board or this year’s award judges), and you may nominate more than one recipient. You may also nominate yourself or your organization.
6. Persons or representatives of organizations receiving an EFF Pioneer Award will be invited to attend the ceremony at EFF’s expense.