Tom Murphy of boards.ie in Irish Indo

Irish Independent
Thursday, 10 February, 2005
e-Thursday
Technology Report
INTERVIEW
Tom Murphy, Boards.ie

TOM Murphy founded Boards.ie, a public online meeting place where people can exchange views on a wide range of topics from American football to poker, from science fiction to jazz. In December, he was awarded the Irish Internet Association’s Net Visionary Award.

What has been the major impact of the internet?
The discovery of like-minded people. Irelandoffline.org is a good example of that. People were unhappy with the Government because of the broadband situation. They could have complained individually to the politicians but it’s not very effective. But put that mass together and you get a critical mass of people who are all angry. It’s the difference between a raindrop and a tidal wave.

Isn’t there a risk that people will become isolated from their surroundings?
That’s a possibility but I find it gets people out more. I organise to meet like-minded people through the internet. One difference it is going to make is removing the geographical locality imperative. People aren’t going to get to know their neighbours as often. Why should they get to know their neighbours when there are far more like-minded people they can meet up with in town?

The internet is open to everyone. Is there a risk that this democratisation will be bulldozed to meet needs of big business?
There is a great danger in Ireland of that happening. For example, a company publishing on the internet can be sued. Everything that’s said on Boards.ie is a liability to me. You’re not responsible for waht you say. I am. We need to change this law to make you responsible for what you say. If people don’t champion the free spirit of the internet, the spirit in which it was created, then we are going to run into problems in terms of freedom of speech.

How will be using the internet 10 years from now?
There is a massive change coming in the delivery of entertainment. You will see entertainment being streamed down. Pay on demand will become more common. The internet will invade the front room through applications such as the Xbox and through internet aware TV and personal video recorders.

What is your favourite piece of electronic gadgetry?
I’m very in love with my MP3 player at the moment. It’s been a difficult settling in period but we’ve got to know each other now.

For an extended interview, see The Friday Interview tomorrow on siliconrepublic.com.

In conversation with DAVID STEWART