OECD Says Countries Must Promote & Protect Global Free Flow Of Info Online; Irony Alert: US Cheers This On

from the no-self-recognition dept

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has put out a pretty strong statement telling members they need to “promote and protect the global free flow of information” online. All of that sounds good, but the real irony comes in the US ambassador’s response to this news. She cheers it on:

?It?s really a milestone in terms of making a statement about openness,? said Karen Kornbluh, the U.S. ambassador to the O.E.C.D. ?You can?t really get the innovation you need in terms of creating jobs unless we work together to protect the openness of the Internet.?

We agree absolutely with Kornbluh… but feel the need to point out that as she’s saying this, the US government has just been exposed for censoring websites with no due process. Meanwhile, Congress is about to move forward with a bill to set up the Great Firewall of America, that will allow the Attorney General to create a blacklist that blocks all access to certain websites.

That seems to go exactly against what Kornbluh says. Basically, she seems to be admitting that SOPA will hinder innovation and hurt job creation by cutting back on the openness of the internet. If only others in the federal government would wake up to the impact of their dreadful plans.

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Companies: oecd

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Comments on “OECD Says Countries Must Promote & Protect Global Free Flow Of Info Online; Irony Alert: US Cheers This On”

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24 Comments
Anonymous Coward says:

Re: Re:

“Unauthorized content” is still information, and the OECD doesn’t appear to make a distinction.

I, for one, fully support the free* knowledge and free* culture movements. In fact, I have already contributed to at least two open-source projects. A very rewarding experience.

* as in, freedom

SomeGuy (profile) says:

Re: Re: Re: Re:

Wow, I guess I SHOULD have added a /s on the end of my post.

Unauthorized content is still information, and it’s almost impossible to make a distinction between the two — certainly not without a massive effort, and almost certainly not in an automated way. The flow of unauthorized content is the “acceptable losses” or “collateral damage” of vigorously allowing the flow of ideas and information. Your business is not more important than freedom of speach; find some other solution to your problems.

Ninja (profile) says:

Re: Re:

Oh yes and along with the unauthorized content just go and fuck up all the rest.

FBI guy: “Sir, there are drug dealers moving a large shipment through the US 101.”
Congress: “Oh my, close down the road.”
FBI guy: “Pardon me?”
Congress: “You heard, we can’t afford those filthy drug dealers to go on with this scheme.”
FBI guy: But sir, they can use other routes and even other means like airplanes and trains.”
Congress: “O rly?”
FBI guy: “Ya rly.”
Congress: “LOL Srsly?”
FBI guy: “Ya srsly.”
Congress: “No wai!!! Shut down the entire transportation system and close down all routes.”
FBI guy: “Roger!”

abc gum says:

Re: Re:

“the flow of information IS good, everyone knows that”

Seems there is a need for further clarification in this area. Here is what they are probably thinking, secret interpretations etc.

The flow of information from you to them is hereby defined as good. Example: from your cellphone to their database.

The flow of information from them to you outside approved media is hereby defined as terrorist activity.

The flow of information from you to others and others to you is hereby denied.

SailingCyclops (profile) says:

Re: Piracy

> You don’t support piracy, do you?

That all depends on your definition of piracy. I do not accept the term as defined by the MAFFIA. I do not approve of locking up our culture under the guise of copyright for the purpose of pure greed. Copyright law has gone wild; Micky Mouse is still copyrighted! That’s INSANE! See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Pirates — as is a lot of our culture.

Copyright was designed to give temporary exclusivity to creators, and then the creation was supposed to pass into the public domain. “Piracy” is merely a reaction to the perversion of copyright.

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