Comments on: Progress in Global Net Freedom http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/ Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:49:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Dan Gillmor http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-1009 Dan Gillmor Fri, 19 Jan 2007 16:21:28 +0000 http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/#comment-1009 Well, hope you're wrong. Well, hope you’re wrong.

]]> By: Seth Finkelstein http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-1008 Seth Finkelstein Fri, 19 Jan 2007 05:59:44 +0000 http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/#comment-1008 But it's early days! :-( Quote: "Members of the group plan to complete the process in 2007." So, we go through the process. The process produces a nice document. More PR. We wait for the next scandal. The document turns out to be toothless. Long explanation as to why it's not really toothless. Wait for another scandal ... Get told it was a good idea, worth trying. But that's good for 1-2 years, maybe even 3-4 years. Case study: "TrustE", if you know that story. Why won't this happen? (not, the nice people involved don't want it to happen - that's a given, but not a reason) But it’s early days! :-(

Quote: “Members of the group plan to complete the process in 2007.”

So, we go through the process. The process produces a nice document. More PR. We wait for the next scandal. The document turns out to be toothless. Long explanation as to why it’s not really toothless. Wait for another scandal … Get told it was a good idea, worth trying.

But that’s good for 1-2 years, maybe even 3-4 years.

Case study: “TrustE”, if you know that story.

Why won’t this happen? (not, the nice people involved don’t want it to happen – that’s a given, but not a reason)

]]> By: Dan Gillmor http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-1007 Dan Gillmor Fri, 19 Jan 2007 05:39:47 +0000 http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/#comment-1007 These folks have been working on this for a long time. I don't know the reason for the timing of this announcement. If they are just using this process to stall, we'll know soon enough. These folks have been working on this for a long time. I don’t know the reason for the timing of this announcement.

If they are just using this process to stall, we’ll know soon enough.

]]> By: Seth Finkelstein http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-1006 Seth Finkelstein Fri, 19 Jan 2007 04:00:56 +0000 http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/#comment-1006 Quote: "This announcement is coming just a week after the Global Online Freedom Act, which would regulate company behavior through legislation, was reintroduced into the U.S. Congress. " What does that sound like? This is not a rhetorical question - why do you think there's reason to be hopeful? That is, what *reason*, given the way these things tend to go, argues the result will be anything other than avoiding legislation? Note, pre-emptively, the answer to this is *NOT* *WISHFUL* *THINKING*. Gee, wouldn't it be great if we all held hands and sang songs? It sure would! We could have a long discussion about how wonderful it would be. Start up a wiki. Blog about it. But realistically, none of that would be a reason that anything would change. Quote: “This announcement is coming just a week after the Global Online Freedom Act, which would regulate company behavior through legislation, was reintroduced into the U.S. Congress. ”

What does that sound like?

This is not a rhetorical question – why do you think there’s reason to be hopeful? That is, what *reason*, given the way these things tend to go, argues the result will be anything other than avoiding legislation?

Note, pre-emptively, the answer to this is *NOT* *WISHFUL* *THINKING*. Gee, wouldn’t it be great if we all held hands and sang songs? It sure would! We could have a long discussion about how wonderful it would be. Start up a wiki. Blog about it. But realistically, none of that would be a reason that anything would change.

]]> By: Dan Gillmor http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-1005 Dan Gillmor Fri, 19 Jan 2007 00:25:07 +0000 http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/#comment-1005 Legislation could give them cover -- if they really want, deep down, to do the right thing. Their participation in this effort tells me they do. Of course, we'll find out one way or the other as this moves forward. But I do agree with Rebecca that there's reason to be hopeful. Legislation could give them cover — if they really want, deep down, to do the right thing. Their participation in this effort tells me they do. Of course, we’ll find out one way or the other as this moves forward. But I do agree with Rebecca that there’s reason to be hopeful.

]]> By: Seth Finkelstein http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-1004 Seth Finkelstein Thu, 18 Jan 2007 23:31:33 +0000 http://citmedia.org/blog/2007/01/18/progress-in-global-net-freedom/#comment-1004 <em>"which one hopes will morph into legislation"</em> Is there any indication that would happen? And not the opposite? That is, usually these sorts of things are to head off legislation, as "self-regulation". “which one hopes will morph into legislation”

Is there any indication that would happen? And not the opposite?
That is, usually these sorts of things are to head off legislation, as “self-regulation”.

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