::Public Netbase t0

Public Netbase t0 began in 1994 as a small but active cultural project and has grown into one of the most esteemed media-culture institutes in Europe. Embedded in a solid network throughout Austria and Europe, Public Netbase fosters and creates vanguard projects at the crossroads of technology, art, and culture. The institution also runs a non-profit internet provider, supplies artistic experience in the field of electronics, and tries to encourage medial competence. Additionally, one of its main concerns is contributing to the (cultural) political consciousness-raising regarding the possibilities and dangers of the internet.

The formation of a governmental coalition by the ÖVP (People's Party) and the FPÖ (Freedom Party) brought the art, culture and new media centre Public Netbase t0 into a difficult situation. Already in 1998 Public Netbase was the target of a campaign of slander and defamation conducted by the FPÖ, although this was subsequently stopped by a court ruling in favour of Public Netbase. At present, though, a large number of net projects of organisations critical of the government are hosted by Public Netbase's Internet server t0, a fact that has made Public Netbase the object of suspicion and rejection and a constant topic of political controversy.