[governance] FW: [IP] Google's Lawyers Work Behind the Scenes to Carry the Day - NYTimes.com

parminder parminder at itforchange.net
Sun Jan 6 02:19:36 EST 2013


Interestingly, from an OECD document, 'The role Internet intermediaries 
in advancing public policy objectives 
<https://bvc.cgu.gov.br/.../1/the_role_of_internet_intermediaries.pdf>'

    "Articulating common international principles for Internet
    intermediary policy would be timely. Participants were cautiously
    optimistic that in some areas there has been enough experience and
    work around the topic of Internet intermediaries by policymakers,
    the private sector and civil society, to identify and discuss
    high-level policy principles for the future. Given the global nature
    of the Internet and the cross- border services that Internet
    intermediaries often provide, an international convergence of
    approaches for the development of policies involving Internet
    intermediaries was viewed as essential, to provide effective
    guidance to the business sector. /*The OECD was identified as being
    able to help the emergence of such*//**//*principles and to support
    their diffusion*/."

Even more interestingly, this is what the US Ambassador to the OECD has 
to say (emphasis added, below as well as above)

    "Mrs. Kornbluh further noted that the /*OECD is ideally suited to
    discuss the role of Internet intermediaries because of its historic
    mandates*/ and ongoing streams of work. Recalling that the OECD is
    the place where regulators come to share best practices and to
    develop agreements, guidelines and conventions."

Hope, the day will come when civil society will take time off from their 
preoccupation with demonizing developing countires, and call the bluff 
of the US and its allies with regard to such deep hypocrisies - who gave 
them this 'historic role' ???? And why should not a UN based CIRP like 
body ( which is more multistakeholder than OECD) not 'discuss the role 
of Internet intermediaries' rather than these self- appointed historic 
role bearers?

parminder




On Sunday 06 January 2013 12:25 PM, parminder wrote:
>
> On Sunday 06 January 2013 12:51 AM, michael gurstein wrote:
>>
>> I've blogged about this at:
>>
>> /I’m wondering though whether the issue concerning Google is rather 
>> misplaced when included under matters concerning free speech/free 
>> expression.  Whether a search algorithm propelling a robotic process 
>> of information selection would be covered by free speech “rights” is 
>> something for legal scholars to ponder at their leisure./
>>
>> //
>>
>> /I’m wondering rather whether the appropriate rights/freedoms venue 
>> under which to assess Google’s activities might not more 
>> appropriately fall under “freedom of thought” rather than “freedom of 
>> speech” i.e. that it concerns the way we know things or our capacity 
>> to know certain things (and not have the means to know (or believe) 
>> other things)./
>>
>
> I agree that google with more than 90 percent control over the search 
> segment of the Internet represents an epistemological window on the 
> world, and thus very clearly represents a core public interest 
> function.... And this has serious implications if google is left free 
> to manipulate its algorithms as it wishes to. The FTC judgement is a 
> big disappointment. But then maybe this is more of a media regulation 
> thing rather than a trade regulation one, and FTC will obviously look 
> only at trade issue (on which aspect too I find its judgement inadequate).
>
> Internet defines new realities, and that requires new governance 
> paradigms.... Above is a good instance of how looking at the Internet 
> just through one perspective (trade law) to the exclusion of others 
> can be grossly harmful to public interest.
>
> We require neutrality principles for Internet intermediaries, and we 
> need them now. Hope civil society can do something about it.
>
> parminder
>
>> http://gurstein.wordpress.com/2013/01/05/is-google-like-gas-or-like-steel-neither-it-is-like-nernsts-third-law-of-thermodynamics-or-the-nicene-creed/
>>
>> http://wp.me/pJQl5-ab
>>
>> M
>>
>> *From:*governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org 
>> [mailto:governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org] *On Behalf Of *parminder
>> *Sent:* Saturday, January 05, 2013 2:00 AM
>> *To:* governance at lists.igcaucus.org
>> *Subject:* Re: [governance] FW: [IP] Google's Lawyers Work Behind the 
>> Scenes to Carry the Day - NYTimes.com
>>
>>
>> A very interesting take on FTC's decisions on google
>>
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/05/opinion/is-google-like-gas-or-like-steel.html?_r=0 
>>
>>
>> The article raises the right question - whether some parts of our 
>> digital environment deserve to be treated as public utilities - due 
>> to (1) the extent of monopoly and (2) the very important 'public 
>> function(s)' being performed.
>>
>> I do not agree with the conclusion of the authors that any kind of 
>> search neutrality obligations would hurt free expression objectives. 
>> To me, the contrary is true.
>>
>> How much ever I disagree with its conclusions, the article touches 
>> the deeper issues pertaining to search for the right paradigms that 
>> should inform Internet governance.... Most commentaries around WCIT, 
>> and even the almost solo fixation with multistakeholderism, just 
>> scratch the surface, often misleadingly. The real issues are 
>> somewhere else and, unfortunately, have not received the needed 
>> attention of civil society.
>>
>> parminder
>>
>> On Friday 04 January 2013 08:42 PM, michael gurstein wrote:
>>
>>     *From:*Dave Farber [mailto:dave at farber.net]
>>     *Sent:* Friday, January 04, 2013 5:35 AM
>>     *To:* ip
>>     *Subject:* [IP] Google’s Lawyers Work Behind the Scenes to Carry
>>     the Day - NYTimes.com
>>
>>     http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/04/technology/googles-lawyers-work-behind-the-scenes-to-carry-the-day.html?hp
>>
>>     note last paragraph
>>
>>     Archives <https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now>
>>     <https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/22720195-33c4478e>|
>>     Modify
>>     <https://www.listbox.com/member/?member_id=22720195&id_secret=22720195-ee88e0f4>
>>     Your Subscription | Unsubscribe Now
>>     <https://www.listbox.com/unsubscribe/?member_id=22720195&id_secret=22720195-5d1aea5d&post_id=20130104083439:7B061B92-5673-11E2-9EEA-C6C0052171EF>
>>
>>
>>     	
>>
>>     <http://www.listbox.com>
>>
>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.igcaucus.org/pipermail/governance/attachments/20130106/b997e581/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.igcaucus.org
To be removed from the list, visit:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing

For all other list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/

Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t


More information about the Governance mailing list