What is OneWebDay?

OneWebDay is a day set aside to honor the Internet and the culture that has ballooned up as a result. It was first held in 2006 and again in 2007. Expected to be an annual celebration, OneWebDay is observed on 22 September.

In addition to celebrating the Internet and the advances it has provided for humanity, OneWebDay also is a time to spotlight political and other issues surrounding the Internet. In many cases, the Internet created, or at least brought to the forefront, some of these issues. Whether it is censorship, security, connectivity or the role of the Internet in the political process, all will be widely explored on OneWebDay.

One of the hallmarks of the 2008 OneWebDay is the planning of a giant global photo collage. Internet users wishing to celebrate OneWebDay, also known as OWD, are asked to submit their photos on CNET Network's Webshots in an effort to show the collaborative power of the Internet. The final product will be made up of the sum of the submitted photos.

The giant global photo collage is the first effort to organize observers for a OneWebDay global project. Set up in the tradition of Earth Day, which happens annually on 22 April, Internet users are generally encouraged to find their own special ways to celebrate the Internet on 22 September.

In addition to online celebrations, there are a number of physical celebrations planned in cities all around the world. In Washington, D.C., for example, organizers are planning to bury a "Web time capsule." Also, with a broadband conference taking place in Washington later during the week of 22 September, organizers have termed the celebration there as OneWebWeek.

The organizers of OneWebDay are also asking those with remarkable stories about how the Internet has transformed their lives, or the life or someone in their community to share them. Stories can be submitted on the OneWebDay website. The top 100 stories will be featured on 22 September.

OneWebDay was the product of Susan Crawford, a media and law professor at Yale Law School. The collage in 2008 is a very important part of her overall desire for people to see the faces behind the Internet, she noted recently in a blog. Just as people were inspired by photographs of Earth from space and created Earth Day, Crawford hopes to generate the same kind of phenomenon with the OneWebDay collage.