[governance] Plagiarism and intellectual property

[Andrea Glorioso]

Wolfgang, all,

2011/12/15 "Kleinwächter, Wolfgang" <
wolfgang.kleinwaechter at medienkomm.uni-halle.de>


> This is my problem with Guttenbergs appointment. He has disqualified
> himself with his unethical behaviour. Civil society in rigid regimes
> fighting for civil rights and freedoms, get their legitimacy to a high
> degree from their "ethical approach" to do the "good things". The risk with
> Mr. Guttenbergs support is that with his lost credibility, he undemines
> also the credibility of the groups he wants to support. For a surpressive
> regime it is easy to argue if they combat their dissidends - which they
> label as "criminals" - that those people are inspired and supported by a
> guy who lost his job is as a result of "unethical behaviour" and has at
> home supported Internet blocking and surveillance. This could become very
> counterproductive for the Internet freedom activists in rigid regimes.


With respect, I find the notion that an authoritarian regime would use, as
an argument to clamp down on their citizens' rights and freedoms, the fact
that a European Commissioner has appointed advisor X rather advisor Y,
difficult to believe. Again, let us keep very clear in mind that zu
Guttenberg is an *advisor* and that the normal process of decision-making
in the European Commission, including via the support, information and
recommendations that the officers in the Directorate-General provide to the
Commissioner, does not change.

On the contrary, one might even argue that precisely the fact that such
advisor has been involved in discussions on very sensitive dossiers,
possibly taking positions which are not always in-line with what such
authoritarian regimes may describe as "freedom propaganda",  may even be a
political advantage when "engaging" with these regimes.

And quite frankly, the European Commission, as well as many other
democratic authorities in the EU and elsewhere, have "supported" what you
refer to as "Internet blocking and surveillance". I personally think - and
have stated so in public - that Internet blocking is not the right way to
solve the problems it is meant to solve, and that we should be much more
careful about the level of surveillance capabilities ICT comes embedded
with.

I also personally think that the same measures have a very different
impact, and should be differently evaluated, when they are implemented in
inperfect, but fundamentally democratic countries, and where they are
implemented in countries where speaking out your mind can get you shot.

But the bottom line is that again I do not believe that the nomination of
an advisor can possibly make a difference for an authoritarian regime which
wishes to use the "you do it at home, don't tell us not to do it here"
argument.

Anyway, I guess time will tell will prove one of us correct.

P.S.: just to be clear: the fact that I do not wish to discuss the whole
issue of plagiarism in this case does not automatically imply I support (or
not) such practice. I simply do not think it is relevant - but obviously,
and fully acceptably, we have different opinions on such relevance.

Best,

Andrea
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