[governance] Internet as a commons/ public good

[Jeremy Malcolm]

On 29/04/13 10:37, Milton L Mueller wrote:
> */[Milton L Mueller] If most people agree, they should be able to
> provide examples. Yet, I am still waiting for specific examples.
> Examples of both what specifically is meant by “reduction to closed or
> proprietary online spaces”, and evidence of the “growth” of this
> problem./**/
>
> So far, the only concrete reference I have seen comes from Mawaki, and
> it is a good example of why I am resisting this statement. Mawaki
> claimed “that the internet experience of more and more users --maybe
> the younger ones-- is becoming limited to particular apps, notably
> those of social media such as Facebook (FB).” Now, I am not a Facebook
> member and do not particularly like that type of online community. But
> I would quibble with the definition of Facebook as “closed,” in that
> joining is free and pretty much open to anyone, and using it does not
> prevent anyone from accessing anything else on the internet. FB does
> not alter or in any way enclose the Internet protocols or standards./*

I can't say if this is what Mawaki meant, but there are many mobile
Internet services around the world (including mine, Maxis here in
Malaysia) that give you free or cheaper access to Facebook than to other
social networking websites.  Also, devices such as phones and game
consoles typically allow a gatekeeper to approve what apps you can use
to access the Internet.  For example I have an iPhone, and I want to use
a Bitcoin client on it - but I can't, because Apple decided I can't; and
I want to install a Bittorrent app on my PS3, but I can't, because Sony
decided I can't.  I presume that you have read Zittrain's "The Future of
the Internet", which although becoming dated now gives many other examples.

-- 

*Dr Jeremy Malcolm
Senior Policy Officer
Consumers International | the global campaigning voice for consumers*
Office for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East
Lot 5-1 Wisma WIM, 7 Jalan Abang Haji Openg, TTDI, 60000 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Tel: +60 3 7726 1599

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