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Thanks, Veni, for sharing this - thanks Nick. I do some
cross-posting.<br>
<br>
An excellent contribution to our timid discussions - and to our
concerns here, where the Geneva agenda as announced will influence
our public here, about the freedom and not-freedom of the Internet -
without much response so far about the Geneva INET plans, and the
direction of ISOC's concerns for some better "oversight" over the
Chapters, without much - so far - how "ISOC" sees the Chapters - not
in declarations, but in the way how the discussions on the Chapter
Delegates list is dragging on.<br>
<br>
Norbert Klein<br>
Cambodia <br>
<br>
=<br>
<br>
-------- Original Message --------
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Subject: </th>
<td>Re: [Itu2012chapters] Board of Trustees statement ... and
next steps</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Date: </th>
<td>Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:06:08 -0400</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
<td>Veni Markovski <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:veni@veni.com"><veni@veni.com></a></td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">To: </th>
<td>Nick Ashton-Hart <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:nashton@consensus.pro"><nashton@consensus.pro></a></td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">CC: </th>
<td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:itu2012chapters@elists.isoc.org">itu2012chapters@elists.isoc.org</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:itu2012chapters@elists.isoc.org"><itu2012chapters@elists.isoc.org></a></td>
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<br>
<br>
Needless to say, +1. <br>
Be bold. Be brave. Be cool - all this was built in the foundations
of Isoc, when Vint and others were engaged. We need this spirit
back!<br>
<br>
On Wednesday, March 14, 2012, Nick Ashton-Hart <<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:nashton@consensus.pro">nashton@consensus.pro</a>>
wrote:<br>
> Good morning everyone.<br>
> I see that the ISOC board made a good statement on protecting
the open Internet (<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.internetsociety.org/news/internet-society-board-trustees-expresses-concern-over-online-copyright-enforcement-strategies">http://www.internetsociety.org/news/internet-society-board-trustees-expresses-concern-over-online-copyright-enforcement-strategies</a>).<br>
> I think this is a great step in the right direction - but I
hope it is just one of many steps. The issue of copyright
enforcement and trade agreements negotiated in secret is important -
but the greater problem of countries using UN agencies to promote
Internet control and a statist policymaking environment is an even
greater problem and I think ISOC should be out front and center on
this issue.<br>
> In that vein, I think the agenda for the upcoming INET
conference in Geneva I think really needs some amendments. In
particular:<br>
> * The session with Hamadoun Toure needs at least one additional
voice who can be counted on to strongly advocate that no UN agency
should be used as a forum for totalitarian states like China and
Russia to promote their agenda of Internet control. They've been
doing it for a decade quietly, and finally, people are starting to
talk about it publicly. If we let Toure away without him clearly
understanding that we know what he's doing and he's going to get a
lot more pressure if he doesn't stop taking cynical advantage of
child porn and safety to help his country-friends push their agenda,
we've missed a golden opportunity.<br>
> * There seems to be little opportunity for the Geneva
diplomatic community to engage with INET from looking at the agenda.
Where are the Ambassadors who are of like mind to us about the
importance of the open Internet? Geneva is the epicenter of
struggles to censor the Internet. We have lots of allies here - why
don't we ensure they come to our meeting when it is local to them?<br>
> * The panel on intellectual property has one of the most
reactionary rightsholders representatives - from the RIAA - there
is. Where is a strong, articulate creator on this panel to advocate
for a more open and collaborative copyright future? Seriously, how
can you have an intellectual property panel to talk about creativity
with no creators on it? I'm happy to ask some friends from the major
featured artists community to come and talk.<br>
> You don't turn 20 - and hold a major conference to celebrate it
- often obviously. Some additions to the panellists would go a long
way to making this conference far more relevant, frankly, than it
seems likely to be otherwise.<br>
> ISOC can and should be at the forefront of efforts to roll back
Internet censorship efforts - especially given so many of them
originate at institutions in Geneva where ISOC is based. The
structure and format of the IGF is important - but pushing back
against statist control of the Internet is more important IMHO.<br>
> There are those who say that talking a lot about this makes the
worst outcomes more likely. I think this is simply wrong. Every
country delegation in Geneva knows what the Russias and Chinas are
up to - it isn't a secret: these countries have been trying to get
their way for a decade. Look at what Russia and China are doing in
Syria. Does anyone seriously believe that they are going to be
persuaded by those who oppose them being moderate and diplomatic?
There's zero chance of that.<br>
> What does deter the bad guys is light - exposing their
manipulations to the public. If they can pursue their censorship and
control agenda in the dark, there's no price for them to pay in the
court of public opinion. Does anyone believe that SOPA and PIPA
would have been stopped in the US without massive public objection?
It is the same here: we should seek to aim as bright a light as we
can on what is going on at the ITU and call out countries that are
part of the problem. It may not prevent everything, but it will
certainly give countries pause. And the ITU does not want thousands
of Internet activists breathing down its neck.<br>
> For those of you who don't know me, I'm an ISOC member but I'm
also one of only two people representing the ICT industry who are
based in Geneva. (the association I represent is CCIA, the Computer
& Communications Industry Association). We care a lot about
preserving the open Internet and multi-stakeholder decision making.
I know what's going on in Geneva with these issues because I live
here and I get a lot of facetime with governments and UN staff in
all kinds of issue areas. Those of us who believe in the open
Internet need to get more active - and be more forceful - as our
opponents are strong, ruthless, and have a lot of countries who are
sympathetic because they don't want social media-driven revolutions.<br>
> What I'm saying is: let's be bold. Now.<br>
<br>
-- <br>
Best,<br>
Veni
<p>== Sent from my phone, so any spelling mistakes are caused by the
touchscreen keyboard. That's a nice excuse, isn't it;-)<br>
</p>
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