[Chapter-delegates] Why is ISOC is doing almost nothing to bring affordable Internet to America

Fri Dec 21 12:15:29 PST 2012

I agree with Joly's points below. Also, the first order problem is access to the Internet and there are many areas of the world where that is lacking.

Jason Livingood

On 12/21/12 12:36 PM, "Joly MacFie" <joly at punkcast.com<mailto:joly at punkcast.com>> wrote:

There are limitations to what any one organization can do.

ISOC's  most important role, and original raison d'etre, is to be an organizational parent to the IETF and the IAB. From that grew roles in development and policy.The pillars were defined in the late 90s. In recent years the maintenance of Open InternetWorking the multistakeholder Internet model has become paramount.

While at the Chapter level individuals gather together to get active on whatever is their passion. It is important that at the global and regional level that the Internet Society make a priority of high-level engagement of stakeholders to promote its principles.

Universal access has always been one of those principles.

j

On Fri, Dec 21, 2012 at 12:01 PM, David Solomonoff <president at isoc-ny.org<mailto:president at isoc-ny.org>> wrote:
This is a great discussion and I'd just like to add a couple of small points:

Based on my experience lobbying for a large labor union here in the US (United University Professions) I would say that to effectively advocate both at the regional and national level, ISOC NA must:

  1.  Develop a larger pool of active members
  2.  Probably have additional paid staff whose single task is community organizing. How this is funded and whether these people would be employees of the global organization or local Chapters is open to discussion.
  3.  Have a consistent policy position and up-to-the-second talking points about all related issues
  4.  Share contact info regarding legislators and news media
  5.  Share info regarding relationships, conversations, etc. so that people don't tread on each others toes
  6.  Have a strategy involving getting the active members contacting legislators and media IMMEDIATELY whenever an issue comes up with a consistent position using consistent language and talking points

This is how all effective advocacy groups work - I don't  think there are any shortcuts.

On the technical side we can work with other groups (like NYCWireless in NYC) to promote community networks and open source DIY solutions. As I've said before I don't think we should bet the farm on any particular "perfect" one-size-fits-all technology - rather act as an educational resource for all solutions.

A lot of other open source groups here in NYC organize hackfests where they help people install Linux on their PC's. ISOC Chapters could certainly do the same for wifi mesh routers and the like.

Also, perhaps ISOC could also look into IXP's in rural, underserved areas in the US like upstate New York?

On 12/21/2012 06:05 AM, JOHN MORE wrote:
Norbert

I think you make a very good point. I would note there are many local efforts in the US to increase access (reduce costs) from neighborhood networks. Gene Gaines, a member of the Greater Washington DC Chapter, has created a program of providing used laptops to all students from poorer families in his county on Virginia coupled with significantly lower internet rate from Comcast.  The North American Bureau could take a lead in focusing on the issue of universal (=affordable) access.

John More
Washington DC

On Dec 21, 2012, at 5:58 AM, Norbert Klein <nhklein at gmx.net<mailto:nhklein at gmx.net>> wrote:

On 12/21/2012 4:32 AM, Paul Brigner wrote:
I don't think many would suggest ISOC-NA is not serving as "a focal point for cooperative efforts to promote the Internet as a positive tool to benefit all people throughout the world."  Of course, there is always more to do and more issues to cover.

Best regards,
Paul Brigner

Regional Bureau Director, North America
Internet Society

"The Internet is for Everyone"

Interesting discussion. “...there is always more to do and more issues to cover” - sure, but that does not pick up the core of the question: What is the plan of the North American ISOC Regional Bureau to achieve this in the USA?

This reminds me of a period of long and intensive discussion twenty or so years ago in Germany related to “international development,” where some wanted to limit this discourse to “international development aid abroad” as "a really important issue" - while others insisted that a discussion of the complex problem of international economic imbalance has to include a discussion of the internal powers at play at home.

Is it possible to understand - and act - on international dynamics without tackling similar scenarios and challenges and conflicts also at home?

Norbert Klein
Cambodia

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