safe european home? do we need a closed european internet? bill thompson | [email protected]...
TRANSCRIPT
Safe European Home?do we need a closed European Internet?
Bill Thompson | [email protected]
School of Information ManagementInformation and Society Seminars
Priestley Hall, Beckett Park CampusWednesday 19th March, 12pm – 1pm,
Room PRG10
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Who am I?
Programmer and developerTeacherWriter/Journalist/CommentatorAdvisor and policy-makerTechnocultural critic
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Thesis
The Internet is freeThe Internet is ungovernableCyberspace is outside the real worldOnly markets and individuals can determine online limitsThis is the ‘Californian ideology’
Richard Barbrook/Andy CameronWest Coast libertarianism+free market economic
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Antithesis
The Internet was built one wayIt can be built other ways too
Code is law - LessigProtocols and programs determine what happensPrograms are a means of control
The network has no essential natureControl and regulation are possible
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Synthesis
Today’s network is promiscuousAny code can run; any data can move
Tomorrow’s network will be regulatedArchitectures of controlTrusted computer platforms and networksSigned code, authorised data, verifiable identity
Who signs, rulesCorporations? Governments? Individuals?
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Why this matters
“After the correct political line has been laid down, organizational work decides everything, including the fate of the political line itself, its success or failure.”
from the report of Joseph Stalin to the 17th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, 1934.
http://www.anesi.com/east/stalin.htm
“After the correct laws and regulations have been laid down, programming work decides everything.”
Bill Thompson, LMU
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Network History
The InternetCreated 1983 (ARPANet 1969)End-to-end architectureTCP/IP (v4) controls data transmission
Academic/military/government networkUntil 1990’sCommercial involvement propelled Net forwardWeb invented 1990, grew from 1994
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Network Hegemony
The Net embodies liberal valuesAll nodes visiblePeering and routingNo authentication or approval required
These left it open to colonisationDominant culture online is USThis amounts to hegemony – Gramsci
Today’s Internet is not culturally neutral
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Network Fidelity
Existing systems are promiscuousA processor will run any code givenAn application will accept any data
Creates vulnerabilitiesTechnical: bugsProgramming: virusesCultural: spamEconomic: Napster
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Network Control
Architectures of control are emergingInternet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)• Includes authentication, identification
Trusted Computing Platform Alliance (TCPA)• Processors will only run signed/validated code• Applications will only read signed/validated
content
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)• A certificate rich Internet• Map online persona to offline person
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Network Borders
Trusted networks enableIdentification of individuals and processorsEffective management of data flowsMapping of online structures onto real world systems
The result:We can build borders in cyberspaceWe can assert the primacy of the real worldWe can extend state sovereignty to online
© 2003 Bill Thompson
So…
Resist US cultural imperialismCounter US hegemonyBuild borders around the European network
Assert EU law on data protectionEstablish EU approach to copyrightEnforce EU regulations on commercial email
Establish a safe European home
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Why do this?It’s going to happen anyway
Media corporations want control• Digital Rights Management
Laws are being passed to give them that control• Digital Millennium Copyright Act; European Union
Copyright Directive
Hardware and software has control features built in• Windows XP Product Activation
If we don’t engage then corporations will do it alone
We will lose all chance of democratic controlThe market will decide. And markets do not serve the public interest
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Network democracy
Online democracyNot e-democracy but democratising ‘e’
Build structures and bodies to govern the net
Local, regional, national and globalNot one law but many lawsNot one network but many Not one online culture but many
Internet regulation that reflects the new borders
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Network sovereignty
Give each state powerRegulate network data flowsControl network useMonitor online activity
In open societies this will be permissive
Greater freedom onlineFreedom from spam, viruses, unsolicited porn
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Working for the Clampdown
Closed societies will use the power tooLimit access to news and informationControl use of the networkMonitor activity and punish dissent
This is a necessary priceBut on a regulated network pressure can be exerted• Offer trade concessions in return for net
liberalisation
On a regulated network it is not all or none
© 2003 Bill Thompson
The Next 5.5 Billion
There are approx 600m Internet usersToday’s network serves 180m US citizens
The rest of us put up with what they want
Tomorrow’s network must serve all of usSix billion users
Asserting local control can start in EuropeBirthplace of the WebLarger online population than US
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Tomorrow’s Internet
Serving the many, not the fewLocal variation, cultural differences
Controlled by the people, not the companies
Democratic accountabilityLegal framework for regulation
Part of the real world, not a virtual space
Overcome the myth of cyberspace
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Issues
How can we be sure trusted systems will succeed?What’s wrong with US hegemony and the Californian ideology anyway?Aren’t governments as bad as corporations?Who can have faith in the EU to govern anything, never mind the network?Aren’t you just a whining socialist weenie?
© 2003 Bill Thompson
Thank you