EU Commissioner: We Cannot Allow ISP Disconnects

Fluffeh writes "The EU Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, has been making some interesting comments about privacy, copyright and many aspects of the digital age. Going so far as to quote the Free Software Foundation and Yochai Benkler, she says: 'Openness is also complex because sometimes it's unclear what it means. ... In the Arab Spring, many brave activists successfully used the open Internet to coordinate peaceful protests. In response, despotic governments sought to control or close down Internet access; and also used ICT tools as a tool of surveillance and repression. We cannot allow democratic voices to be silenced in that way. And I am committed to ensuring "No Disconnect" in countries that struggle for democracy. We must help such activists get around arbitrary disruptions to their basic freedoms.'"

So when it comes to 3 strikes....

[zarthrag]

Democracy for all....expect accused pirates?

She's right

[Compaqt]

Europe and the US can't lecture 3rd world countries (and China) about democracy, openness, and freedom when they're cutting out all three.

What was really funny was the way the UK govt. wanted to shut down Facebook and Twitter because they thought that contributed to the recent riots. What's even more funny is how Iran's state news services called it an uprising, and not riots. Britain just lost all moral right to lecture anybody after that. (Of course, Iran had its own riots/uprising propelled by social media. Same thing.)

Re:She's right

[Jawnn]

No, it isn't "funny", but let's stick to the point. The EU, or at least Commissioner Kroes, has gone on record with the position that openness is of paramount importance when it comes to the legal use of the Internet as a medium of communication. This is a step in the right direction, A big one. Yes, there are lots of things we can split hairs over; "What is the definition of 'legal' in the U.K.? In Germany? Syria?", but a widely respected policy like this should prevent draconian knee-jerk bullshit like shutting down social media sites just because a group of miscreants use them for illegal purposes.