[governance] [outside traditional politics] The internet is about people - we are the people!

Wed Oct 19 03:55:18 EDT 2005

Dear all,

I have been trying to understand the current line of discussion, however
please excuse if I am not taking everything into consideration as it is very
difficult to plough through the enormous amount of ideas, proposals,
arguments & positions.

Introduction

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Please allow me to briefly introduce myself and my perspective: I am a 27
year old phd student (www.maxsenges.com) who has been growing up with, and
working for years in&on cyberspace. I am part of a generation that has been
growing up in a world where money and statistics rule while values and
quality of life is mostly defined by how much you can consume. For me
Cyberspace represents THE empowering, heterarchic social space where power
is a matter of good arguments and knowledge - not money.

I am participating at the NGO Committee for a Democratic UN (www.kdun.de)
and we have developed a Position Paper on Internet Governance which I
attach. I am very much looking forward to come to Tunis to discuss and
collaborate.

Please excuse that in this mail I dont focus on the practical issues for
the negotiations inside the summit, but especially given the shattered state
of the official negotiations, I believe CS has the chance to really make a
difference, define its (demands), and claim cyberspace as ours, outside the
mainly governmental summit

I tried to be as brief as possible, my understanding is the following: 

What can/should CS contribute to Internet Governance?

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In the recent ethical black and white scenario which is fostered through the
propaganda and actions on all sides (cue: terrorist) the global cooperation
and discourse enabled by the internet can stand out as THE means to promote
and empower cosmopolitan citizenship. Civil society as the representative of
the user (netizen) is uniquely positioned to develop a global vision and to
define the target conditions (rights & duties), on which conduct in
cyberspace should be based.

There are two main points I would like to make: 

1. Technology Management vs. Global Social Space 

2. Values & Vision very important to choose appropriate tools

1. Technology Management vs. Global Social Space 

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There has been, and still continues a debate on how to define the frame and
the limits of internet governance. I believe that it is essential to
distinguish on two axis. 

Axis one is the distinction between technology and use, or in other words
between the people who build and maintain the infrastructure and thus decide
where we can go and what we can do there and the Netizens who interact
amongst themselves and with the system. So fundamentally all aspects have a
technological (structural) and a human (ethical/teleological) side while the
former has logically to be subordinate to the latter.

Net-Tech 

There is what has been described as narrow IG which deals with the
technology management  here scientific principles should be absolutely
dominant and scientists & technologists should be in control. I understand
that this is a huge terrain to cover and most of the discussion on this list
deals with these issues. 

Goal is the smooth running and technological progress. 

         some obviously antic governance structures have to be updated to
be international, multi-stakeholder and transparent, and given the enormous
strategical power, I guess governemtens have too big an interest to stay out
 however in general (as I am not a technologist) I will refrain from
suggesting solutions and believe Ronda Haubens suggestion to have a global
group of research centres develop a solution over years is a good solution.

But the net is much more than technology  it is the platform for global
social interaction - Cyberspace and everything that comes with the use of
net. From what I read on the list the topic of how to ensure the inclusive
and ethical use and how to make sure the PEOPLE ARE EMPOWERED TO BECOME
GLOBAL CITIZENS, to fight for the survival of openness and original
non-consumerist nature of cyberspace  is not discussed (anymore) as you are
focusing on practical solutions. I believe we should participate in the
negotiations as you (the caucus) do, but start to work on a positive social
vision and a definition of rights and principles (similar to the italian
initiative Vittorio reported about)

2. Values & Vision very important to choose appropriate tools

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Following this dichotomy I suggest Vint Cerfs taxonomic approach (axis two),
and "parse the community into users, network service providers and
application service
providers"(http://www.isoc.org/internet/conduct/cerf-Aug-draft.shtml).
Thereby the Netizens (users) are the only beneficiaries interacting in a
global social space (cyberspace) while the providers aim to create the most
advanced infrastructure possible. 

Thus when one thinks about Internet Governance it might be useful to define
the 'modules' (architecture). As I see it (and please excuse I am not a
lawyer): 

An Internet Constitution  In the nature Lessig talks about it --> to anchor
the humanistic and fundamental principles

A Bill of Rights & duties - to define the rules and freedoms of the users
(as suggested by the Italian group  see attached mail and us)

Based on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the practical matter of
technology management can be worked out in a framework of Rules and
regulations connecting use, business, research and development.

>From what I understand the current discussion on internet governance is
dealing with the third set of issues while omitting the first two. 

This current situation is due to two reasons:

1. Governments are tangled up in a historic web of power struggles and
therefore are always bound through particular interests

2. The private sector has a natural interest in commodifying all resources;
plus all individual enterprises are in competition and thus influence
(lobby) governments in order to maximize local comparative advantages.   

Thus global Civil Society, as representative of the user, is the actor who
can and should develop the vision and principles of the net.

Some (drafty) thoughts on implementation

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Rules of human interaction have always developed and have undergone two
phases informal codes of conduct and then codification in formal rules
(which traditionally always had troubles to evolve with the worldly
context). In this way, one can think along the lines of 'the path is the
way' and start a global discourse with the goal to involve as many
individuals and institutions as possible - one by one - and have the code of
conduct evolve organically and truly involving all stakeholders. 

The net works because technicians have agreed to use one standard protocol.
It spread because it makes sense and because it is open. The idea we are
putting forward (in the attached position paper) is to collaborate on an
Internet Constitution which defines standards for human interaction in
cyberspace and spreads and is implemented because it makes sense and it
makes life easier by sharing a standard.

Technologically the commitment to the global (and/or specific) rights and
duties (and the initiative itself) could be made visible and relevant
through a codified reference (think of a cookie) thereby allowing for
practical applications like information filtering, creation of trust and
community.

after all we (civil society) are the people and as a collective we span
across an enormous range and spectrum of organisations 

One last point: I really respect and honour your work but I have to say that
I have clicked on so many I agree to all Licence & Legal statements that I
simply have lost my believe in the system of pressing everything into a
contract or a ratified document. The ink on the paper is not worth nothing
if the signing party is not honest and respectable. Thus I believe we should
work with arguments that convince the people and communicate them through
our trusted channels (e.g. Universities).  

I guess my proposal could be interpreted as optimistic and idealistic, and I
am fine with that. I actually think it is a good basis for the planning of
future governance structures. 

Greetings from barcelona

Max

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Max Senges

UOC PhD student
Carrer Hospital 973o 2a   
8001 Barcelona, España

Tel:  +34 627193395 
@: MaxSenges at gmail.com 

Link
<http://www.uoc.edu/web/cat/launiversitat/estudis/phd/doctorat_presenta.htm>
to Programme Presentation

You will always be able to contact me via my I-Name=Max.Senges
<http://public.xdi.org/=Max.Senges> 

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