FNS and Net Policy (LP09)

Proposed by Mike Linksvayer for LibrePlanet2009/OpenConference/Activism

Free Network Services and Internet Policy

As discussed a bit in the first autonomo.us podcast (about 17 minutes in), free software and specifically free network services could have a role in mitigating or preventing some of the bad scenarios (and in abetting good outcomes) discussed in net policy circles, but those policy debates seem to ignore or discount free software. Should we engage policy people? Is there any hope of directing any of their punditry to free software advocacy?

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I think the key is to change the game by empowering users to give Dynamic DNS from their own machines (Free_Hosted_DNS), and including that in any free-as-in-freedom network service application. Watch the users love it, and see the telecoms and ISPs just try to tell them they cannot run that application and they cannot employ the Internet as it was designed to be used! Seth Johnson

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Discussion led by Mike Linksvayer (Sporadic and possibly inaccurate notes by Rob Myers)

fs helps with overarching threats -

businesses trying to lock down users for profit

security threats

fs mitigates these threats in a real way

• people (e.g zittrain) talk about the internet closing down because of locked down devices & security crackdowns,

fs and free network services can help to avoid this,

but people (e.g. zittrain) don't make it part of their story

• need a dialog between fs and open internet / digital speech organizations, make it part of the story

• voluntary solutions such as fs as an alternative to regulationist bias - tackle privacy, lockin, etc. with fs

• fs should be part of the policy discussion . make clear it's part of the solution, not part of the problem.

--robmyers 17:06, 1 April 2009 (EDT)