FC: Public Knowledge replies to my column on geektivism

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

Slashdot posted a response to my geektivism column this evening:
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/08/13/1721206&mode=nocomment&tid=167

It's from Public Knowledge, a group I profiled in an earlier column:
http://news.com.com/2010-1074-943785.html?tag=politech

The geektivism column in question:
http://news.com.com/2010-1071-949275.html?tag=politech

The text of Public Knowledge's reply is below. It makes some good points, 
but includes some misstatements too. It says, "No amount of good code can 
overcome harmful laws and bad policy." Of course good code can do just 
that: Even if wiretaps are omnipresent, encryption can keep our 
conversations safe. If it is illegal to publish certain information, 
anonymous remailers provide a way to do so anyway. True anonymous digital 
cash is another disruptive technology. If inventing future technologies 
makes it more difficult for governments to levy high taxes and enforce laws 
banning consensual activities, well, that's a far more dramatic change than 
we can ever hope to accomplish through the political process.

In other words, I trust the laws of mathematics more than I trust laws 
created by politicians.

Obviously, as I said earlier (http://www.politechbot.com/p-03889.html), I 
don't recommend giving up on all forms of non-coding activism. But let's 
evaluate the costs and benefits, and recognize when our efforts could be 
better spent elsewhere.

-Declan

---

http://www.publicknowledge.org/news/media-responses.php

   August 13, 2002
   Geeks in Government: A Good Idea?

   A Response to Declan McCullagh: Political Participation for Geeks is a
   Must

   The notion that cybergeeks should stay out of the political process
   and stick only to writing code is a misguided idea that could have
   damaging consequences. In the past, tech activists may not always have
   effectively organized or expressed their opinions, but now that our
   ability to use technology as we intended is under attack, there is no
   better time to change this.

   Writing code and taking political action are not logical opposites
   when it comes to protecting freedoms. You need one to do the other.
   For example, take the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The code that
   would allow someone to play a DVD on my GNU/Linux operating system
   already exists - but it is illegal under that law. Any code that gets
   written to do the same job is going to be illegal under the DMCA.
   Political action to repeal or amend the DMCA is the *only* route for
   geeks.

   No amount of good code can overcome harmful laws and bad policy.
   Public Knowledge Board Member Larry Lessig has made this abundantly
   clear. Code, law and the future health of programming must be
   compatible. Geeks are the best people to help lawmakers understand the
   impact of bad technology laws and policy.

   Declan is right in one sense - geeks sending a bunch of flaming emails
   to lawmakers is not going to work: that is one reason why Public
   Knowledge exists. We are organizing real and effective political
   participation that lawmakers can understand - sophisticated geek
   knowledge and understanding is a critical part of this process.

   Public Knowledge makes it easier to participate politically. The ten
   minutes it takes to sign up on our mailing list, make a donation, or
   participate in a campaign isn't going to mean you don't write a piece
   of amazing freedom-producing software. You can take political action
   and you can write code.

   Public Knowledge is taking on the task of turning geek activism into
   effective policy action. Here is how we propose to do it:

   *Over the next few months, we are going to launch technology to
   organize and consolidate grassroots activity on policy issues
   affecting copyright and technology. The idea here is to build a true
   grassroots movement on these issues. When real people in large numbers
   organize to make their voices heard, Congress listens - legislation
   regulating tobacco and campaign finance reform are just two examples
   where the American people have won over large corporate interests.

   *Public Knowledge will continue to work with and organize other
   important constituencies. We are already working with the libraries,
   educators, scientific researchers, artists, musicians, writers and
   representatives from the consumer electronics, retail and tech
   industries to strengthen our political clout.

   *Public Knowledge has hired a new Public Policy Director with over
   fourteen years of substantial legal and Hill experience related to
   technology. He will continue, and strengthen, Public Knowledge's
   day-to-day policy advocacy activity in the halls of Congress, in
   administrative agencies and in the press.




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