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Now, this doesn’t have anything to do specifically with democracy, but I think it shows great promise as a campaign tool (as Obama proved during his campaign.) Political organizers could contact their constituency 24/7 through twitter. However, it makes me wonder whether twitter (and especially the smartphones that allow its use) shows a further widening of the gap between organizers and low income communities. Twitter could just another weapon to add to an organizer’s arsenal, but organizers should make sure they are not alienating segments of the community by using unfamiliar/expensive technology. 

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What’s with this???

Source

NYTimes Blogger and Aid Worker Still Held in Iran

The Article: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/05/04/world.bloggers/index.html

My Two Cents: Ridiculous, of course. Myanmar, or Burma, tops the list for worst places to blog. Apparently,

one Burmese blogger, Maung Thura, is serving a 59-year prison term for circulating video footage after Cyclone Nargis in 2008, the Committee to Protect Journalists says.

Scary, no? But, of course, I look on this situation through the lens of western democratic theory. However, this situation can be considered no from a political point, but from a human rights standpoint. Almost 6 decades of imprisonment for circulating footage of Nargis that was already accesible seems to be a blatant violation of human rights. Can you really say that we must respect their government’s choice of punishment? Is freedom of speech only reserved for democracies, or is a fundamental human right?

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Along with the three Rs, it is now increasingly important that people are taught about data and the internet. I didn’t use the internet as a research tool during elementary school and middle school – I remember looking at encylopedias and going to the library. It’s not that people don’t use the library anymore, but many people will type a question into google and then take the information they receive back at face value. My sister, now 12 years old, uses the internet for answers to questions all the time. Now, I don’t know if this is already happening, but a new curriculum needs to be developed so that people become active consumers of the internet and data – with the ability to not only interpret data, but also to convey it in such a way that it is understandable to others, and to figure out when the patterns in the data seem inconsistent or incorrect.

Summary: The “three strikes you’re out rule” is the idea that three-time illegal IP-users would be cut off from Internet service. The French government has attempted implement this, but so far parliament hasn’t gone for it. The UK government argues that this issue should not be fought through legislation but, according to IP Minister, David Lammy, through “commercial solutions.”

In the end, the solutions are going to be commercial solutions. They are going to be solutions that are about ensuring people pay for content, but the ease of paying is there,” he said.

My Two Cents: It’s an interesting approach and definitely deserves consideration. The US is always trying to regulate through legislation, which so far hasn’t exactly worked. While I don’t know how it is in the UK, the legislative process doesn’t work too well when you have multi-million dollar ISPs lobbying Congress. The education approach the UK government is taking is admirable, but we’ll see how it goes.

Summary:Swedish parliament passed the IPRED law, making it easier for copyright holders to go after illicit file-sharers . The law has only been in effect for one month and anti-piracy outfits are already facing problems using it, as ISPs take measures to protect their customers.

My Two Cents: The ISPs are standing up for the their customers’ privacy, which is refreshing. I wonder if that would have any chance in the U.S….

Summary: Top military officials are now utilizing social networking tools to reach out to possible recruits, as well as answer questions about current military operations, saying these resources are a way to “reach tomorrow’s soldiers.” Jumping on the trend of online communication and networking, the army established an online and social media division earlier this year as well as a Facbeook page and Twitter account.

My Two Cents: I guess, but what really gets me is using social sites like Facebook to recruit soldiers. I guess it’s no different from going to a carnival and having military recruiters handing out pamphlets, it’s just troubling to see the government infiltrate and use this social tool for its own advancement. But then, again, that’s what the government does best!