As you are likely aware Internet Society North America Bureau Director Paul Brigner’s previous job was CTO to the MPAA. Since “switching sides” in March 2012 he has strongly pursued a program of increasing communication and engagement between the Internet community and big content, including recruiting the MPAA, the RIAA, and Disney as organizational members. This week he has led a foray by ISOC staff to visit major Hollywood studios – a listening tour. Accompanying him were Leslie Daigle (ISOC’s CTO), Markus Kummer (VP of Public Policy), and Konstantinos Komaitis (Policy Advisor). Today, September 27 2012, the group reported to the North America Chapter leaders via Google Hangout. Video is here or below.
PIPA
EMERGENCY NY TECH MEETUP – Jan 18 2012 #SOPA #PIPA #nytmSOS #stopSOPA #nyc
The NY Tech Meetup is organizing an Emergency Meetup to protest the proposed SOPA/PIPA Internet censorship legislation. The protest will take the form of a rally outside the offices of Senators Schumer and Gillibrand on Jan 18 2012, which will also be a day of national protest including the blackout of many sites. The rally will immediately follow the live webcast of a related Senate Oversight Hearing at which Brad Burnham of Union Square Ventures will speak. (postponed)
Confirmed speakers: Clay Shirky, Alexis Ohanian, Scott Heiferman, John Perry Barlow, Andrew McLaughlin, Eli Pariser, Tim Karr, and David Segal.
What: Emergency NY Tech Meetup
When: Wednesday January 18, 2012, 12:30-2:00PM
Where: 780 Third Ave (at 49th street) – outside the offices of New York Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand
RSVP: http://www.meetup.com/ny-tech/events/47879702/
Twitter: #nytmSOS
More info: http://nytm.org/sos
- The official Internet Society statement on SOPA/PIPA is at http://isoc-ny.org/p2/?p=2764
- MasurLaw Summary of SOPA and PIPA
@InternetSociety Joins Opposition to Stop Online Piracy Act #SOPA #PIPA #netfreedom
Policies mandating DNS filtering undermine the open architecture of the Internet and raise human rights and freedom of expression concerns
[Washington, D.C. and Geneva, Switzerland – 12 December 2011] – The Internet Society Board of Trustees has expressed concern with a number of U.S. legislative proposals that would mandate DNS blocking and filtering by ISPs to protect the interests of copyright holders. While the Internet Society agrees that combating illicit online activity is an important public policy objective, these critical issues must be addressed in ways that do not undermine the viability of the Internet as a platform for innovation across all industries by compromising its global architecture. The Internet Society Board of Trustees does not believe that the Protect-IP Act (PIPA) and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) are consistent with these basic principles.
Specifically, the Internet Society is concerned with provisions in both bills regarding Domain Name System (DNS) filtering. DNS filtering is often proposed as a way to block illegal content consumption by end users. Yet policies to mandate DNS filtering will be ineffective for that purpose and will interfere with cross-border data flows and services undermining innovation and social development across the globe.
Video: What’s wrong with SOPA @StanfordCIS #SOPA #PIPA #netfreedom
On December 7 2011 the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School hosted a panel discussion – What’s Wrong With SOPA? – on the evils of the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) currently before Congress.
Panelists:
- Mark Lemley – William H. Neukom Professor of Law, Stanford Law School
- Josh Mendelsohn – Partner, Hattery
- David Ulevitch – Founder & CEO, OpenDNS
- Paul Vixie – Chairman and Chief Scientist, Internet Systems Consortium
- Fred von Lohmann – Senior Copyright Counsel, Google
- Albert Wenger – Partner, Union Square Ventures
Moderator:
* Anthony Falzone – Executive Director, Fair Use Project at the Center for Internet and Society
Internet Society statement on DNS Filtering in the US # PIPA #SOPA
The Internet Society has noted with concern a number of U.S. legislative proposals that would mandate DNS blocking and filtering by ISPs in order to protect the interests of copyright holders. We agree with proponents of the Protect-IP Act (PIPA) and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) that combating illegal online activities is a very important public policy objective. However, policies that are enacted to achieve this goal must not undermine the viability of the Internet as a globally reachable platform. After close examination and consultation with the Internet community, we do not believe that the current U.S. legislative proposals are consistent with these basic principles.
In particular, we are concerned with provisions in both laws regarding DNS filtering. DNS filtering is often proposed as a way to block illegal content consumption by end users. Yet policies to mandate DNS filtering have not proven to be effective – these approaches interfere with cross-border data flows and services undermining innovation and social development across the globe. In addition, DNS blocking raises significant concerns with respect to human rights and freedom of expression and may curtail fundamental international principles of rule of law and due process.
The United States has an important leadership role when it comes to online Internet freedoms and should show the way when it comes to balancing local responsibilities and global impact, especially with respect to Internet policy.
In short, the negative impact of DNS filtering far outweighs any short-term, narrow, legal, and commercial benefits. The Internet Society believes that sustained, global collaboration amongst all parties is needed to find ways that protect the global architecture of the Internet while combating illegal online activities. We must all work to support the principles of innovation and freedom of expression upon which the Internet was founded.