Tensions Between Archivists and 'Occupy' Protesters Over Preserving the Movement

An anonymous reader writes "At one point an NYU librarian literally got into a shouting match with a protester at an Occupy protest, trying to make the case for why a digital record should be kept of photos, videos, audio recordings, posters, and other materials, so future scholars and activists can recount what happened. Academics are taking unusual steps to preserve the protesters' stuff, including 'distributing postcards promoting archiving at protests, developing automated systems to download photos posted online, and asking participants to vote on which images are most important for the historic record.'"

Preserve the movement?

[Anonymous Coward]

How about they save a few used condoms, boxes of human excrement, used needles, and unemployment check stubs so that future generations can view in awe and wonder how so many lowlife slackers ever found the ambition to gather in one place at one time...

Golly!

[Impy the Impiuos Imp]

I thought people were afraid of being recognized by police using the archives.

Turns out they're arguing over whether to call themselves the Judean People's Front or the People's Front of Judea.