[okfn-discuss] OKFN and Reset the Net

Thu Jun 5 18:06:57 UTC 2014

On Thu, 5 Jun 2014 17:58:22 +0200
Peter Murray-Rust <pm286 at cam.ac.uk> wrote:

> I'm in Vienna at an OKFN hackathon. I've seen strong suggestions on
> the Continent that UK is siding with US and letting Europe down.

This can be confirmed from where I sit. One example. On seeing the
Ottawa Statement [1] I've been trying to organise some people here to
do something similar. You know, prominent academics and lawyers and
friendly politicians and such. Getting a lot of sympathetic noises but
very little real traction. It has been communicated to me privately
that many people and organisations are afraid of saying anything
publicly even if phrased in positive terms, i.e. "we believe that
x...".

Also, at least in the US there are prominent people who are willing to
express dissent in public. Ditto for Canada which is otherwise nearly
as bad.

Viewed in this light, OKF leadership's refusal to commit is a little
understandable. There is definitely a strong chill on dissent in this
country at this time. Perhaps OKF should flee and redomicile to a
better place where it wouldn't feel, as an organisation, so frightened
to commit publicly.

[1] https://openmedia.ca/statement
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