Lauren Weinstein -- Microsoft's Police State Vision? Exec Calls for Internet "Driver's Licenses"

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
> Date: February 2, 2010 4:36:50 PM EST
> To: "Synthesis:Law and Technology Law and Technology" <synthesis.law.and.technology () gmail com 
> >
> Cc: dave () farber net, ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] Lauren Weinstein -- Microsoft's Police State  
> Vision? Exec Calls for Internet "Driver's Licenses"

> All it would take is one really big terrorist event that was linked
> (correctly or not) to the Internet and watch how fast the whole
> world salutes Internet Control.
>
> --Lauren--
>
> On 02/02 16:28, Synthesis:Law and Technology Law and Technology wrote:
> > That flag might work temporarily in the US but I suspect there  
> > would be
> > considerably more inertia outside your national boundaries.  Where  
> > it would
> > run into problems would be when someone points out that this is  
> > creating a
> > huge security problem with the potential for forged credentials.   
> > Again, I'm
> > not saying we shouldn't fight  the principle. I'm saying the 'make  
> > them look
> > like dangerous lunatics' sober technical approach seems to work  
> > best at
> > shooting down such grandstanding in the past. I'm also not  
> > convinced that
> > they can implement much without tearing down/starting up (and risk  
> > getting
> > disconnected from Canada and the EU in the process).
> > And we haven't even begun to talk about how plenty of businesses  
> > such as
> > Disney would want to object strenuously to this.
> >
> > On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 2:55 PM, Lauren Weinstein  
> > <lauren () vortex com> wrote:
> >
> > > I think that if the national security "scare the people" flag were
> > > waved vigorously enough, you'd be amazed at the level of crackdown
> > > that would be possible without redesigning the Net from scratch,
> > > certainly enough to accomplish an initial stage of onerous controls
> > > sufficient to accomplish their short-term political ends.
> > >
> > > --Lauren--
> > >
> > >
> > > On 02/02 14:40, Synthesis:Law and Technology Law and Technology  
> > > wrote:
> > > > I see that point to a degree and I undestand the need to  
> > > > contiunously and
> > > > vigorously defend against such controls.
> > > >
> > > > But when he makes a point that is so obviously erroneous I have  
> > > > to think
> > > it
> > > > lessens his credibility and consequently hurts that cause.  When  
> > > > he makes
> > > > the call and someone stands up and asks him "so you are advocating
> > > shutting
> > > > down the internet completely and starting over with something  
> > > > fresh and
> > > > untested?"  doesn't it make that whole control-is-a-goal look  
> > > > foolish and
> > > > irresponsible and consequently less credible and less reasoned?   
> > > > The
> > > reason
> > > > to react is his position at Microsoft.  What he is effectively  
> > > > saying is
> > > > that Microsoff is in favor of throwing everything out and  
> > > > starting over
> > > with
> > > > something that is untested and unproven.  When you put it that  
> > > > way, I
> > > think
> > > > maybe 12 people on the planet will buy into it.
> > > >
> > > > We went through something similar when the Trademark bar tried to  
> > > > 'own'
> > > the
> > > > internet. And almost the same when the micropayment folk wanted  
> > > > to charge
> > > > for everything...and the content police...etc etc.  I think history
> > > teaches
> > > > us  that people will buy into these harebrained grandstanding  
> > > > postures
> > > and
> > > > it is necessary to fight them on moral/ethical grounds.
> > > >
> > > > But once you make them look totally foolish and dangerous on a  
> > > > practical
> > > > level,  they go away fast.  People are essentially selfish and if  
> > > > you
> > > give
> > > > them choices with the consequences to them, they usually vote the  
> > > > right
> > > > way.  Tell them it will make them more 'secure' they will want  
> > > > it.  Tell
> > > > them they will have to throw everything out and lose this and  
> > > > that and
> > > this
> > > > and that and start over with everything just to get something  
> > > > that will
> > > curb
> > > > their freedom at the technology level?  Who is going to vote for  
> > > > that?
> > > >
> > > > Dan Steinberg
> > > >
> > > > SYNTHESIS:Law & Technology
> > > > 35, du Ravin phone: (613) 794-5356
> > > > Chelsea, Quebec
> > > > J9B 1N1
> > > > On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 12:56 AM, Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com 
> > > > >
> > > wrote:
> > > > > Whether or not it can be done as he suggests isn't really the  
> > > > > point.
> > > > > He knows the reality even if he's talking past it for effect.  But
> > > > > when someone of his stature and representing Microsoft makes such
> > > > > comments at such a gathering, it plays into the hands of those
> > > > > governments who want to tightly control access to the Net  
> > > > > through any
> > > > > and all means possible.  So he's still being irresponsible in the
> > > > > extreme.
> > > > >
> > > > > --Lauren--
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Dan Steinberg
> >
> > SYNTHESIS:Law & Technology
> > 35, du Ravin phone: (613) 794-5356
> > Chelsea, Quebec
> > J9B 1N1



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