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Reflecting on the Quantum Leap: Promises and Perils of Oral History on the Web
- Oral History Review
- Oxford University Press
- Volume 41, Issue 2, Summer/Fall 2014
- pp. 244-256
- Article
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The digital revolution has enabled a return to orality/aurality and has helped to further the democratizing potential of oral history by providing the tools for wide distribution and access. Yet, this promise also raises serious questions about the personal and political implications of unfettered access, particularly in this age of both heightened government surveillance and unintended uses of materials posted on the World Wide Web. This article addresses these issues, as well as problems of website design and obsolescence, and advocates reconsideration of our oral history practices, including making our interview agreements with narrators subject to future negotiations