[okfn-advisory] Open Knowledge and Reset the Net

Thu Jun 5 16:42:32 UTC 2014

How I see it ...

It’s appropriate to have multiple levels of “support”: endorse, fund, cooperate.  Endorse = web splash and press release; fund = those + $; cooperate = staff time and possibly $ towards public or private activity.

The closer to your core mission, the greater the support you can offer.

Your organisation’s reputation is what you “spend” when you endorse another project’s actions.  Just as with money, you have to be conservative with how you spend your reputation lest it dissipate and your organisation stands for nothing but “lefty pinko hippies” or “outrage merchants".  (He says, as an outraged lefty pinko hippy)

This means you probably can’t endorse or fund everything that has an overlap with your mission.

I would support Reset the Net in particular, as its emphasis is on increasing the security of the users of the Internet and this is relevant to the subset of the OKFN audience who are data journalists and evidence-based pro-democracy activists.   As others pointed out, if the data is open but your use of it is surveilled, you won’t be able to effect the change you want.

But I’d be cautious about embracing every anti-surveillance pro-net-neutrality anti-kettling pro-democracy anti-fox-hunting Internet campaign that wanders into your stakeholders’ attention.  You probably have room for one of those a year, and where possible a positive one—clicking through should HELP your audience, not merely add their name to a pledge or protest form.  

Cheers;

Nat
-- 
Nat Torkington
Sent on the hoof
On 5 June 2014 at 9:21:58 am, glyn moody (glyn.moody at gmail.com) wrote:

I feel strongly that you should support Reset the Net in particular,
and similar moves in general.

Open knowledge is negated by a Net that is subject to almost total
surveillance - and we are already close that point. A Net where people
are free to share without constantly looking over their shoulder is an
essential pre-requisite for everything that Open Knowledge is trying
to achieve. Refusing to join the efforts to rein in surveillance
would be not just blinkered and short-sighted, but ultimately
self-destructive.

On 5 June 2014 17:02, Laura James <laura.james at okfn.org> wrote:
> All,
>
> I'd love your opinions on this topic - should we formally support
> initiatives such as Reset the Net which don't have a specific open-knowledge
> aspect? What about Reset the Net specifically?
>
> In the thread below, I've followed the stance we've generally had in the
> past, but perhaps it needs updating - your thoughts would be most helpful
> and welcome.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Laura
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Laura James <laura.james at okfn.org>
> Date: 5 June 2014 16:55
> Subject: Re: [okfn-discuss] OKFN and Reset the Net
> To: Open Knowledge Foundation discussion list <okfn-discuss at lists.okfn.org>
>
>
> Hi Will,
>
> I'd be delighted to hear from others what they think and look forward to
> more responses here.
>
> I totally take your point on government surveillance being counter to a
> supportive environment for open data action, and of course there's lots of
> other supportive environment elements for media and civil society, and we
> need to figure out which we actively support as an organisation and which we
> don't. My sense would be that 'is there an open knowledge element' is the
> right line to draw, but that may be wrong if there are other non-contentious
> support areas the full open knowledge community would whole-heartedly back.
> The level of controversy is relevant because if we are representing the
> whole open knowledge community, we need to have a sense as to whether the
> whole community would reasonably back it; of course for specific chapters
> it's their own call as they are only representing their constituency.
>
> In the case of Reset the Net specifically, I've seen some opposition online
> to the initiative because it has the backing of Google - what do folks here
> think about that? Is it a concern?
>
> Laura
>
>
>
>
> On 5 June 2014 16:28, William Waites <ww at eris.okfn.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Laura,
>>
>> That is a pretty bizarre position to take and seems to show a
>> surprising lack of understanding of the environment in which OKF
>> operates. For example, suppose a journalist or civil servant wants to
>> use some Open Data in order to draw attention to some problem in
>> government. Do you think it is appropriate for the same government
>> to be spying on them while they do this and if they are a civil servant
>> perhaps dismiss them on a pretext before they can finish and publish
>> their research? Do you think when the public sector publishes
>> information that it is appropriate to keep tabs on who is using that
>> information and for what?
>>
>> "Does not quite fit within [OKF's] remit" is alarmingly out of step
>> with the rest of the 'net. Have a look at the list of which other
>> organisations supporting this and ask yourself if it appears to be
>> within you understand as their remit.
>>
>> Please reconsider :)
>>
>> -w
>>
>> On Thu, 5 Jun 2014 14:30:40 +0100
>> Laura James <laura.james at okfn.org> wrote:
>>
>> > Hi Will,
>> >
>> > Reset the Net is an interesting initiative around freedom from mass
>> > surveillance by government. We try to focus our Open Knowledge
>> > endorsements on projects with a clear open data / open knowledge
>> > element. There's lots of causes out there which we might well support
>> > as individuals, especially around digital rights and so forth, but as
>> > an organisation we feel it's best to focus our support on causes
>> > directly related to our work and mission, which most likely means
>> > that we can be confident that Open Knowledge folks would support the
>> > cause. My sense is that Reset the Net doesn't quite fall within this
>> > remit; what do others think?
>> >
>> > Of course, Local Groups and Chapters may make their own decisions on
>> > such initiatives, in consultation with the appropriate local board of
>> > directors and community, and to ensure if they do sign that they make
>> > it clear what organisation or group they represent - ie the Chapter
>> > or the specific Local Group.
>> >
>> > Best regards,
>> >
>> > Laura
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On 5 June 2014 12:19, William Waites <ww at eris.okfn.org> wrote:
>> >
>> > > It's not too late, and it'd be really good to have the
>> > > https://www.resetthenet.org/ banner or splash page up
>> > > today on the okfn.org web site
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > _______________________________________________
>> > > okfn-discuss mailing list
>> > > okfn-discuss at lists.okfn.org
>> > > https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/okfn-discuss
>> > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/options/okfn-discuss
>> > >
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
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>
>
>
> --
>
>
> Dr Laura James
>
> CEO
>
>
> skype: laura.james | @LaurieJ
>
>
> Open Knowledge - See how data can change the world
>
> http://okfn.org/ | @okfn | Facebook | Blog
>
>
>
> The Open Knowledge Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation. It is
> incorporated in England & Wales as a company limited by guarantee, with
> company number 05133759. VAT Registration № GB 984404989. Registered office
> address: Open Knowledge Foundation, St John’s Innovation Centre, Cowley
> Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK.
>
>
>
>
> --
>
>
> Dr Laura James
>
> CEO
>
>
> skype: laura.james | @LaurieJ
>
>
> Open Knowledge - See how data can change the world
>
> http://okfn.org/ | @okfn | Facebook | Blog
>
>
>
> The Open Knowledge Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation. It is
> incorporated in England & Wales as a company limited by guarantee, with
> company number 05133759. VAT Registration № GB 984404989. Registered office
> address: Open Knowledge Foundation, St John’s Innovation Centre, Cowley
> Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK.
>
>
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--  
Best wishes

Glyn

http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com
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