This talk explores soft security, which builds security through trust by relying on social forces, based on the premise that humans inheritently know how to behave in society. Shah examines the practices of societies (online and off), business, and his experience with MeatballWiki and the other wikis. He covers the principles necessary to creating a human-friendly space--concepts that are strikingly missing from today's regulated Internet. This talk is an important counterpoint to many common reactions that serve to alienate audiences throughout the Internet.

When presented with security concerns in the age of perfect regulation, technical people often jump to code fences and laws directly into the architecture of the Internet. But in the real world, very few people want perfectly mechanized regulation. Most would rather sort situations out on a human level. Moreover, hard-line security drives communities apart by not only segregating individuals into different classes, but by denying the trust and neighbourliness vital to any social system.

Soft security is remarkably effective in practice. It creates a more cohesive community than other security approaches by removing barriers between people and focusing on positive effects.