Internet Bus Tour to hold events in Lincoln, Des Moines, Iowa City & KC

The Internet 2012 Bus Tour this week released details of the five events it will co-host in the Heartland to advocate for the Open Internet, an internet the tour describes as one free of government restrictions, censorship and regulations. Spearheaded by redditt co-founder Alexis Ohanian and general manager Eric Martin, a duo that’s championed the…

The Internet 2012 Bus Tour will make five stops across Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri.

The Internet 2012 Bus Tour this week released details of the five events it will co-host in the Heartland to advocate for the Open Internet, an internet the tour describes as one free of government restrictions, censorship and regulations.

Spearheaded by redditt co-founder Alexis Ohanian and general manager Eric Martin, a duo that’s championed the subject matter, the tour is bookended by visits to the presidential and vice presidential debates.

“Our mission is to convince the nation’s politicians that internet isn’t a red issue or blue issue, but something which everyone cares about,” the narrator of a promotional video for the tour says.

Between the first debate in Denver, Colo. and the second in Danville, Ky., Ohanian, Martin and a small group that includes journalists and a documentary film crew will makes eight stops across five states. (Cheezburger CEO Ben Huh is riding the bus Oct. 6-7, attending the two events in Iowa.)

Five of the tour stops take place in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri:

Lincoln – Oct. 5, Afternoon (time TBD)

Panel at Raikes School

  • Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science & Management (630 N. 14th, 123B Kauffman Center)

Lincoln – Oct. 5, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

Lincoln #Internet2012 Party with reddit and Hudl (and free beer)

Des Moines – Oct. 6, 6-9 p.m.

Iowa Internet Uncaucus

  • Locust Street Bridge (between 2nd Street and E. 1st Street)
  • From Dwolla: “With interactive tools, livestreams, and real-time conversations, we want to reimagine the political discourse as Iowans (and Americans). And because we’re focused on creating a light-hearted and bipartisan atmosphere, it won’t matter if you entered from the left or right side of the river, just that you’re willing to meet in the middle and build a better Iowa.” – Read more on Dwolla’s blog and the Des Moines Register
  • Call for speakers at desmoinesregister.com

Iowa City – Oct. 7, 5 p.m.

Startup Weekend Iowa City Demo Day + Judging

Kansas City, Mo. – Oct. 8, 6-8 p.m.

Panel on Entrepreneurship

  • Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Town Square (4801 Rockhill Road)
  • From Kauffman Foundation: “Following a complimentary dinner, reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian will lead a panel discussion featuring founders of some of Kansas City’s most innovative Internet-based startups, including AgLocal, Neighbor.ly and Leap2. Also on the panel will be Jay Rogers, founder and CEO of Arizona-based Local Motors, the world’s first open-source automobile company.” – Read more at kauffman.org
  • Register by Oct. 3 at kauffman.org

For more on the tour see our earlier post, “On upcoming tour, reddit co-founder to seek stories of internet’s impact“, and reddit’s announcement, “Internet 2012 Bus Tour – A Campaign to Promote the Open Internet“.

Reddit is covering the hard costs of the tour, but it’s seeking donations on Indiegogo to fund a bus graphic wrap, hold events and document the experience.

Here’s a promotional video for the tour:

 

Credits: Screenshot of Internet 2012 bus from Internet 2012 Bus Tour video.

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

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