Internet Bill of Rights?
Easy:
No Government shall be permitted to initiate any action or pass any
rule whatsoever in relation to the Internet, except to permit
communication by a Government to the public according to the Internet’s
normal protocols or to clarify how the rules of the land will apply to
Internet communication and commerce affecting those within the
Government’s jurisdiction.
I posted the above, half jokingly and half seriously to the ORG discuss list in response to a post on the Dialogue Forum on Internet Rights’ forthcoming meeting. It is obvious that no Government could agree to such a statement because so many groups out there see the Internet as some unique and special evil and there are votes in promises to do something about it.
Or as Karl Auerbach put it: “Every person shall be free to use the Internet in any way that is privately beneficial without being publicly detrimental”
Doesn’t that allow for a state wide ban on privately useless activity whether or not it is publicly beneficial? Like, I dunno, checking facebook…
Also, who decides what is privately beneficial and publicly detrimental?
Strong limits on the actions of Government coupled with a cheap and flexible system of justice (common law? torts?) accessible to any individual or group who has been harmed is enough. These seem like simple things to achieve, but I fear we have neither right now.