<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
Dear Giacomo,<br>
<br>
I believe that you are mixing two different levels, namely,<br>
rules on the Internet with Internet Governance.<br>
<br>
On the first level, when you say that currently there is "zero
regulation"<br>
or no "basic minimum set of rules" on the Internet, I believe you are
plainly wrong: <br>
the full set of provisions of the national civil and criminal codes, in
fact, <br>
fully apply to the Internet. Illicit behavior is illicit behavior<br>
whether it happens online or offline. Therefore, there are plenty of
rules, <br>
and, in practically all cases I am aware of, no need for new rules, <br>
if not a revision of some old laws, which the Internet is showing to
be <br>
strikingly obsolete and illiberal (I am thinking of the Italian press
law<br>
or of the Italian broadcasting law, for instance). Therefore, rather
than extending <br>
the "heavy regulation" of broadcasting, which ultimately was rooted on
the <br>
(often artificial) scarcity of the electromagnetic spectrum, we should
be<br>
seizing this historic opportunity to expand freedom of expression <br>
(within the limits of law, e.g., defamation, of course).<br>
<br>
A whole different level, in my view, is the level of Internet
Governance.<br>
Which, ultimately, is a matter of discussing power, that is,
sovereignty: <br>
who has power on the Internet, why, how, with what limits. <br>
<br>
Best regards,<br>
<br>
juan carlos<br>
<br>
<br>
juan carlos de martin<br>
co-director / nexa center for internet & society<br>
politecnico di torino<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://nexa.polito.it">http://nexa.polito.it</a><br>
<br>
<br>
Mazzone, Giacomo wrote (on 2/27/10 7:16 PM):
<blockquote
cite="mid:488E8B79032F7642949B28142651689CF437AE2243@GVAMAIL.gva.ebu.ch"
type="cite">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type"
content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:SimSun;
panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;}
@font-face
{font-family:SimSun;
panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"\@SimSun";
panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.apple-style-span
{mso-style-name:apple-style-span;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page Section1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
<div class="Section1">
<p class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US">Dear
Max,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US">In
Italy currently there is a
very bad atmosphere on civil rights and freedom of expression. I'm sad
to say
so, but it's exactly what's happening.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US">In the
last months various
initiatives have tried to restrict in various forms the Internet
freedom. Some
of them have been stopped in Parliament, others have gone through,
others have
been promoted directly by the government, other -like in the case you
pinpoint-
by singles judges.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"> When I
say that the distance
between the world of broadcasting and of the press (heavily regulated)
and the
world of the Internet (with zero regulation) cannot continue to be like
it is
Today, I'm really serious.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US">The
need for a basic minimum
set of rules become more and more a need also for Internet, in order
not to be
exposed to the vexations of one country, one community or a single
judge.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US">This
fact (like the many
others before and the next ones that will inevitably follow) can only
reinforce
our unanimous belief that there is a real need for a governance of the
Internet…<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"> Giacomo<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div
style="border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223) -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; border-width: 1pt medium medium; padding: 3pt 0cm 0cm;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"
lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"
lang="EN-US"> Max Senges [<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:maxsenges@gmail.com">mailto:maxsenges@gmail.com</a>] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> mercredi, 24. février 2010 16:49<br>
<b>To:</b> irp; governance; expression<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [governance] If web-platforms are "criminally
responsible
for content that users upload" "the Web as we know it will cease to
exist"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi IRPlers, FoE coalition & IGClers<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">I believe many of you have heard about the
devestating
result of the vividown court-case in Italy, but for those who have not
please
read the <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2010/02/serious-threat-to-web-in-italy.html">Google
policy-blog-post</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is important to stress that this is not about
Google, but
about Freedom of Expression online<span class="apple-style-span"><span
style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">! Here is a summary:</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">A judge in
Milan today convicted three Google
executives in a case involving a reprehensible video posted to Google
Video
that we took down within hours of being notified by the It<span
style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;">alian
police. The video showed an autistic boy being
bullied by several classmates. In essence this ruling means that
employees of
hosting platforms like Google Video are criminally responsible for
content that
users upload. We will appeal this astonishing decision because the
Google
employees on trial had nothing to do with the video in question.</span></span></span><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br>
<br>
<span class="apple-style-span">The law in Europe -- as in the U.S. --
specifically <u>gives hosting providers a safe harbor from liability</u> so
long
as they remove illegal content once they are notified of its existence.
These laws are premised on the belief that a notice and takedown regime
helps
creativity flourish and support free speech while protecting personal
privacy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br>
If that principle is swept aside and sites like Blogger, YouTube and <u>indeed
every
social network and any community bulletin board</u>, are held
responsible
for vetting every single piece of content that is uploaded to them —
every
piece of text, every photo, every file, every video — then the Web as
we know
it will cease to exist, and many of the economic, social, political and
technological benefits it brings could disappear.<br>
<br>
Below is some additional background on the case. We would of course <u>welcome
any
public statements</u> you might be willing to make today expressing
concern about this ruling.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It
would be great if we could agree to speak up on this matter!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Best<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Max<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Some more
background articles:<br>
New York Times story on ruling:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/technology/companies/25google.html?hp"
target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(42, 93, 176);">http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/technology/companies/25google.html?hp</span></a><br>
<br>
Leslie Harris/CDT op-ed: Italy's Case Against Google is a Bad Moon
Rising<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leslie-harris/italys-case-against-googl_b_395634.html"
target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(42, 93, 176);">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leslie-harris/italys-case-against-googl_b_395634.html</span></a><br>
<br>
Jeff Jarvis: Italy Endangers the Web<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.buzzmachine.com/2010/02/24/italy-endangers-the-web/"
target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(42, 93, 176);">http://www.buzzmachine.com/2010/02/24/italy-endangers-the-web/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><img
moz-do-not-send="true" id="_x0000_i1025"
src="http://anm.intelli-direct.com/e/t3.dll?226&1971068446&%20&ita%3DGoogle%2Bbosses%2Bconvicted%2Bover%2Babuse%2Bvideo%2Bof%2BDown%C2%92s%2Bsyndrome%2Bboy%20&iREGQry%20&iSale%20&1&1440&900&24&1&13&en-US%20&300&http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ethisislondon%2Eco%2Euk%2Fstandard%2Farticle-23809508-google-bosses-convicted-over-abuse-video-of-downs-syndrome-boy%2Edo%20&0"
name="itr1" border="0" height="1" width="1"><span
class="apple-style-span"> </span><br>
<span class="apple-style-span">UK Member of Parliament Tom Watson:
“This is the
biggest threat to internet freedom we have seen in Europe. The only
people who will support this decision are Silvio Berlusconi and the
governments
of China and Iran. It effectively breaks the internet in Italy.”</span><br>
<span class="apple-style-span"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23809508-google-bosses-convicted-over-abuse-video-of-downs-syndrome-boy.do"
target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(42, 93, 176);">http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23809508-google-bosses-convicted-over-abuse-video-of-downs-syndrome-boy.do</span></a></span><br>
<br>
<span class="apple-style-span">TechCrunch: Can Someone Tell this
Italian Judge
what YouTube is?</span><br>
<span class="apple-style-span"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://eu.techcrunch.com/2010/02/24/can-someone-tell-this-italian-judge-what-youtube-is/"
target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(42, 93, 176);">http://eu.techcrunch.com/2010/02/24/can-someone-tell-this-italian-judge-what-youtube-is/</span></a></span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">--<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br clear="all">
"The future is here. It’s just not widely distributed yet."<br>
—William Gibson<br>
<br>
...........................................................................<br>
<br>
Max Senges<br>
Berlin<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.maxsenges.com">www.maxsenges.com</a><br>
<br>
Mobile: 01622122755<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
</body>
</html>