[DMCA-Activists] Winer: Democrats Should Pledge Open Internet

[Seth Johnson]

(Forwarded from Boing Boing Blog)

-------- Original Message --------
 Subject: [Boing Boing Blog] Democratic candidates should pledge an open
Internet
    Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 15:59:27 -0800
    From: Cory Doctorow <address@hidden>
      To: address@hidden


Dave Winer is calling on leading Democratic hopefuls -- who have, one and
all, turned to the Internet as their primary organizing and  fundraising
tool -- to pledge to keep the Internet free and open, opposing the Broadcast
Flag and other measures that break  end-to-end and compromise freedom and
innovation. 

     Both Clark and Dean have raised prodigious amounts of money on the
Internet. Now, how about using that money to keep the Internet free. And
even better if Dean and Clark make a joint statement about this, that no
matter who gets nominated, they will work to fight control of the Internet
by the media companies. The Democratic Party has a very spotty record on
support of the Internet. By making the statement in unison, that would
change, overnight, the political balance.

Link: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/2003/11/17#a651

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Posted by Cory Doctorow to Boing Boing Blog at 11/17/2003 03:59:15 PM

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> http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/2003/11/17#a651


Monday, November 17, 2003

An issue in 2004: Keeping the Internet free from the Media Companies

First, a disclaimer, I am speaking for myself here, not on behalf of Harvard
Law School or the Berkman Center for the Internet & Society. 

Over the weekend I sent a simple idea to Cameron Barrett, who works for the
Clark campaign, and to Jim Moore who works for Dean. The message: I would
love to see their candidates make an impassioned plea to keep the Internet
free of interference from the entertainment industry. I would welcome this
for two reasons. 

1. First, I'm part of a constituency, like many others, who are looking for
a candidate to vote for who supports our primary issue. Nothing unusual
about that, easy to understand. 

2. But as important, it would signal that the candidate is not beholden to
the media companies. I would happily give money to candidates for ads that
warn that the media industry is trying to rob us of our future, and explains
how important it is to protect the independence of the Internet. Use the
media industry channels to undermine their efforts to the control channels
they don't own, yet.

Think about it. It's a poison pill that a candidate we can trust would
happily take. Both Clark and Dean have raised prodigious amounts of money on
the Internet. Now, how about using that money to keep the Internet free. And
even better if Dean and Clark make a joint statement about this, that no
matter who gets nominated, they will work to fight control of the Internet
by the media companies. The Democratic Party has a very spotty record on
support of the Internet. By making the statement in unison, that would
change, overnight, the political balance.

If you agree, pass this idea on to each of the campaigns and to other
voters. Let's use the Internet to keep the Internet free, in a positive way.
Make a clear statement, I will only vote for a candidate who supports a free
Internet. And it's a open source idea, Bush, Kerry, Edwards, Gephardt,
Kucinich, Moseley-Braun, Sharpton, et al are welcome to use it. 

"Ask not what the Internet can do for you, ask what you can do for the
Internet."

# Posted by Dave Winer on 11/17/03; 10:41:27 AM - Comment [19] -- Trackback
[5]

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