In October 2025, as part of our course “Digital Humanities: the case of Wikipedia” at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, a talk was held on Wikipedia, cybersecurity, freedom, and democracy, featuring Dr. David Aceituno, former Senator Kenneth Pugh (2018–2026), and Carlos Valdovinos (me, course professor). The activity, organized by Wiki-Jardín Valparaíso, focused on how open systems operate and how they are sustained in today’s digital environment.
One of the main points was understanding Wikipedia as a platform grounded in principles of freedom and democracy: freedom to contribute, open access to knowledge, and a form of governance that does not privilege central authority, but instead relies on coordination among individuals. This approach draws on the intellectual influence that Ayn Rand and Friedrich Hayek in defending individual action and the order that emerges from voluntary cooperation.
Cybersecurity was presented as a necessary condition for protecting these systems. It is not only about safeguarding infrastructure, but also about preventing interference that could undermine the quality of information, user trust, and the functioning of collaborative processes.
The discussion also addressed the tensions between freedom of expression, regulation, and responsibility. The key idea was that freedom requires rules, but rules that do not restrict participation or concentrate power. The challenge is to keep platforms open without allowing them to be captured or closed.
The relationship between information and democracy was also highlighted. Access to reliable information produced in an open way is essential for free societies. In this sense, Wikipedia not only distributes knowledge, but also demonstrates in practice how information can be produced and validated without relying on centralized structures.
The activity reaffirms Wiki-Jardín Valparaíso’s commitment to promoting open and collaborative spaces, based on the principle of non-discrimination on political, religious, or any other grounds. This principle ensures that anyone can participate on equal terms.
The talk is part of a broader line of work aimed at examining how digital technologies are reshaping power relations, with a focus on defending environments where individual freedom, voluntary cooperation, and distributed governance can effectively operate.
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