[governance] India's communications minister - root server misunderstanding (still...)

[Daniel Kalchev]

Roland,

Excellent summary of useful activities that have helped the Internet 
exist for so many years, despite it's "disruptive" effect on so many 
things of life and empires-to-be.

By the way, I have also noticed an phenomenon that many political people 
try very hard to not talk to us, as to not hear/see any of this and thus 
not change their set course... but, the world is small.

Daniel

On 02.08.12 10:33, Roland Perry wrote:
> In message <7FB6AE34-A8CF-468B-814A-5B735A659E20 at virtualized.org>, at 
> 22:50:40 on Wed, 1 Aug 2012, David Conrad <drc at virtualized.org> writes
>>> (Times of India, interview
>>> <http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-30/edit-page/32924041_1_internet-governance-internet-corporation-root-servers>) 
>>>
>>
>> I will admit I find the level of knowledge demonstrated in the
>> responses from a "minister of state for communications and
>> information technology" in that interview quite distressing.
>> For those more attuned to political realities than I, how should
>> the 'technical community' go about improving the level of
>> understanding of the basic systems used by the Internet?
>
> It's relative straightforward, and is done by numerous interest 
> groups[1] in other fields much more extensively than by the ITC.
>
> Critics call it "lobbying" but the more enlightened call it "outreach".
>
> There are numerous outlets for this, one of which is the preparations 
> and delivery of the IGF, but there are many other opportunities, for 
> example within relevant ITU groups, at the OECD, at ECOSOC and others 
> too numerous to mention.
>
> As far as I'm concerned, one of the tricks is to try to fit in, rather 
> than stick out. And as one seasoned Brussels lobbyist advises "always 
> be there, and never be late".
>
> And I don't mean just standing up and trying to influence the outcome 
> of meetings (always tempting in a multistakeholder environment, but 
> doesn't work so well as an outsider at membership meetings), although 
> that is occasionally a useful tactic if it's seen as constructive by 
> the other participants.
>
> I mean briefing and informing the participants particularly rival 
> lobbyists (some people find that odd, but it works) the government 
> representatives and where possible their ministers.
>
> Right on topic, in 2001 I recall taking a newly appointed UK ministry 
> official on a tour of Telehouse in London, showing him the K root 
> server box, and explaining what it did (and more importantly what it 
> didn't do, and why no-one would notice if I were to unplug it for a 
> few seconds). In the rack next door were some Nominet [.uk] servers 
> and down the corridor the main LINX suite, so we talked about those too.
>
> Around the same time I had some formal and informal meetings with the 
> UK's "Internet Minister" which had a direct effect on the 
> implementation of some privacy regulations, and across the road I went 
> and explained to a Home Office minister what a url was (at 8am in the 
> morning!), so he could be happy about some traffic data definitions 
> being worked into a new lawful intercept law.
>
> Between 2005 and 2010 I performed a similar role for RIPE NCC, and 
> took my roadshow worldwide.
>
> More recently I've been educating the authorities in the UK about the 
> harm that comes from Internet trolls and Facebook stalkers, but would 
> be happy to advise any relevant interest groups on how to raise their 
> profiles and reduce the level of misinformation in circulation.
>
> And if you want someone to attend a meeting and put your point of view 
> forward in a constructive manner, so people say "now that you've taken 
> the trouble to explain this to us, in terms we can understand, 
> obviously we entirely agree) I can do that too.
>
> [1] That's the most neutral generic word I can think of that also fits
>     the Internet Technical Community.

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