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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Dear Deidre:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>No, perish the thought. This is a space for exchanging
ideas on this or any related other subject, even with folks who may describe
themselves as experts. In context, you touched on a very important
question that brought several intriguing ideas top of mind. Is the use of
social engineering – the matter of using the data and information derived
and extracted from the observed behaviour of the crowd – to exact ordered
behavior for profit or advantage ever desirable?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Here is the thing. “Free” is never so
free. At least not on the Internet. This is perhaps the most direct
contemporary instance that underscores the value associated with data…and
the price of “knowing”. That knowing comes with a price
tag. The only difference is that the Internet model upends the idea of
who gets the bill; it isn’t always obvious since the guy judged with the
greater ability to pay real dollars often is the one who gets the bill. In
fact the business model has people competing to pay your bill. So
now, ask yourself, why would someone want to pay my ticket? Let me extend
the rule of thumb in this way. If you get a service, however slight that
service, so long as it consumes resources in provisioning, someone pays. Take
this like an article of faith: there truly are no free lunches.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I teach Information Science and we are forever exhorting our
students to group work, extolling the benefits of collaboration. Then we
are stumped when they use bits and pieces of content from here and there in a ‘mashup’
paper without recording the source of every idea. The collective has a
downside. [Apropos, there was a very interesting blog entry in the NYT
this week on plagiarism.] <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Undoubtedly, there is a place for ‘rugged’
individualism. The importance of that one person - that brilliant contrarian - to
innovation because they dare to think outside the box is well known to history.
Indeed, it is sometimes the centerpiece of national myths. American mythmaking,
for example, have written out of history – some say whitewash - the life-giving
help extended to the early European colonists by Native Americans to burnish
this ideal. Individualism can go only so far in some things.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>There are equally compelling tales of innovation generated in the
collective brilliance of the crowd. Group think, you might say, in furtherance
of the common good. We almost intuitively understand that when the power
equation is in play, maybe ‘crowding’ is the single best response
for those who are weaker in that construct; the classic reason for
collaborating. And sharing the pain - and rewards -is the orthodox posture
in movements beyond memory, even whole societies. There are enough
exemplars from the lives of social animals like bees and ants to go round and
underline the case. And then there are the ills that come with a crowd;
think of yob behavior experienced by football fans in certain countries or the
lynch mobs of too many places.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>People and things share attributes that if combined, can bode
ill..or good. [Interestingly enough, the Latin root for ‘conspire’
means ‘to breathe together’!] I will always be humble and concede
that I cannot always determine outcomes. For in this life there always shall
be too many uncontrollable variables; be it with business or people. But I
would very much prefer to know what attributes are in play that might affect all
possible outcomes. I want to “know” what “they”
know!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>For the ‘knowing’ is always better than not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Carlton <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Deirdre Williams
[mailto:williams.deirdre@gmail.com] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 11, 2010 11:34 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> governance@lists.cpsr.org; parminder<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [governance] Net neutrality on mobiles<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Dear Parminder and everyone,<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>I am very conscious of the fact that I am NOT a techie, so
please forgive me if I am stating the obvious/making a fool of myself or both.
As far as I am concerned "network neutrality" speaks to the
management of the hardware, software and traffic of the internet to preserve
interoperability and open equitable access<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;
margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'>
<div>
<div>
<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><pre><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>... a civil society advocacy group perspective which needs to<o:p></o:p></span></pre><pre><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>probe the deeper policy issues and come up with responses that serve<o:p></o:p></span></pre><pre><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>the progressive cause and advoacte them strongly on behalf of those who<o:p></o:p></span></pre><pre><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>cannot be present in these forums but whose lives are nonetheless<o:p></o:p></span></pre><pre><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>greatly affected by these developments. </span><o:p></o:p></pre></blockquote>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><br>
In any case, at least in my view, Internet is not just a market place, it is a
social space for our non-commerical social interactions, it is a public media
and a public sphere, it is a space for exercising citizenship. Perhaps without
discussions on these deeper issues and essential nature of the Internet and
what we take it to be, discussions on a 'simple act' of a free Internet based
service wont go anywhere. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>I was prodded into replying by what Parminder has to say
quoted above. This aspect of the Internet is deeply important to me. For some
time I have been alarmed at and thinking about a predatory behaviour online
which I describe to myself as "webherding". Subsequently I discovered
that other people call the same phenomenon "social engineering" which
sounds almost respectable :-)<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Herding behaviour is something that man has learned to make
use of to his benefit - but at the same time sharks do it, wolves do it, very
much to the detriment of that which is herded. When herded, creatures lose
their individuality, and the possibility of innovation, the possibility of
choice. A world is created which is the diametric opposite of the type of world
the Internet is sold to us as being.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Somehow our perception of the world has been shifted to a
focus where business ethics have become a sort of norm - if it is good business
then it is also generally good and should not be questioned.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Deirdre<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;
margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#888888'><br>
Parminder </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<pre>Innovation tumbles over innovation, that's the law.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>Carlton<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>-----Original Message-----<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>From: Ginger Paque [<a
href="mailto:gpaque@gmail.com" target="_blank">mailto:gpaque@gmail.com</a>]<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2010 7:37 AM<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>To: <a
href="mailto:governance@lists.cpsr.org" target="_blank">governance@lists.cpsr.org</a>; Ian Peter<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Subject: Re: [governance] Net neutrality on mobiles<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>Ian and Parminder,<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>This is an interesting point for me, but I wonder where the line is<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>between advertising and other issues, like 'free benefits' which David<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>mentions. For instance, when text messaging was first available in<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Venezuela, it was free. It was free for long enough to get everyone<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>hooked on it. Then they started charging for it.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>It is difficult for me to see this as a NN issue since it sounds more<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>like a 'free trial', or a 'package deal' that attracts customers. My<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>serious issues with NN are lack of transparency, not marketing.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>Where do you see this 'line'?<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>I think this is a good time to discuss NN so that we can be more<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>productive in Vilnius.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>Best, Ginger<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>On 8/7/2010 11:23 PM, Ian Peter wrote:<o:p></o:p></pre><pre> <o:p></o:p></pre>
<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><pre>Hi Parminder,<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>Unfortunately Australia has already jumped ship on this too. It is common<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>practice for ISPs here (who have volume charging regimes) to create free<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>zones of their partner sites which do not attract volume charges and/or<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>traffic shaping when people exceed download limits. Nobody here seems to<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>want to pick this up as an issue. To me, this is a distortion of a free<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>market and an open Internet at the same time and should be attracting a lot<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>more attention.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>The mobile world, as you mention, brings with it other distortions and<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>potential distortions (eg built in apps and interfaces)<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>I agree - we should discuss.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>Ian Peter<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre> <o:p></o:p></pre>
<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><pre>From: parminder<a
href="mailto:parminder@itforchange.net" target="_blank"><parminder@itforchange.net></a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Reply-To:<a
href="mailto:governance@lists.cpsr.org" target="_blank"><governance@lists.cpsr.org></a>, parminder<a
href="mailto:parminder@itforchange.net" target="_blank"><parminder@itforchange.net></a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Date: Sun, 08 Aug 2010 08:51:02 +0530<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>To:<a
href="mailto:governance@lists.cpsr.org" target="_blank"><governance@lists.cpsr.org></a>,<a
href="mailto:ciresearchers@vancouvercommunity.net" target="_blank"><ciresearchers@vancouvercommunity.net></a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Subject: [governance] Net neutrality on mobiles<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>Hi All<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>The biggest mobile operator in India, Airtel, is providing Facebook free<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>of data download charges in India (apparently, only for 2 months). I<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>understand this is happening in other countries too; i read about<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>something similar in Russia.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>I consider this as an outright violation of net neutrality (NN).<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>Since there are existing codes of conduct on NN in some countries like<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Norway and Brazil, I will like to know from those who know and<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>understand these country specific arrangements well if such a thing as<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>above will be considered a NN violation under these codes.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>If indeed developing countries are to have any chance of being a part of<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>shaping and governing the future of the Internet, we should start<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>testing such cases as above with the telecom regulatory authourities,<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>and if needed with courts and anti-trust bodies.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>Parminder<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>PS: See latest developments on NN debate in the US at<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><a
href="http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/08/google-verizon-close-to-their"
target="_blank">http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/08/google-verizon-close-to-their</a>-<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>own-net-neutrality-deal.ars<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>It appears that there is some move to treat wireless or mobile based<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Internet on a different level vis a vis NN than wired Internet.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>As the largest market players - here, Verizon and Google - seek to<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>arrive at a mutually convenient arrangement, and the only other party<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>to it is the US gov, itself representing very partisan, and largely<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>dominant, interests, as far as the global public Internet is concerned,<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>the real shape of global IG is quite evident. Where does the IGF, and<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>indeed the IGC come into this may be a question that we need to ponder<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>upon.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>____________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>You received this message as a subscriber on the list:<o:p></o:p></pre><pre> <a
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<br>
-- <br>
“The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir
William Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979<o:p></o:p></p>
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