flynn23 wrote:
] 1) Do you feel as though your rights and freedoms are being
] infringed in the digital realm? Rights are constantly threatened. People are trying to use anti-porn laws to wipe any controversial speech out of the net, or at least out of the school and library (surf control's usenet news category). Discussion about security systems is frequently threatened with prosecution. Some discussion of e-voting has been sued away... Deep linking... personal websites with humor or artistic purpose that make use of trademarked or copyrighted material... fan fiction... small/personal internet radio is almost impossible; people don't see it as a viable alternative to running micro-power or college/community stations because the royalties have priced it out of the market... Copyright is now eternal, and the public domain almost not existent. Innovative approaches to art/media, and the consumption of art/media are frequently illegal, and usually the policy is sue first and ask question later. Basically, the situation is far too litigious. Individuals don't have the resources to defend themselves from suits, even ones that are unreasonable. The result is that speech by individuals has been chilled on a wide scale. The people who can speak are the ones who are big enough to take a lawsuit. This has made the network undemocratic. Only the rich have a voice. Everyone has a printing press, but the rich are the only ones who can face the consequences of using one. The recent spat of DRM laws makes the situation even worse. Not only are we stopping you from speaking with laws, we're forcing you to buy technology that stops you from speaking. Not directly mind you, but indirectly. By eliminating the public domain. By preventing you from remixing and recontextualizing content. By preventing innovation. ] 2) Do you feel as though you have adequate power to protect
] these rights and freedoms? No. I cannot defend myself against a frivolous suit by a large company. I cannot stop Congress from passing laws that are dramatically not in my interests. Congress follows the interests of the people with the power, and right now the public interest has no power in this arena. ] 3) Do you feel as though the EFF is an adequate tool to
] protect these rights and freedoms for you (or en masse)? They have succeeded in many many respects. Right now they are our best hope. However, they have also failed in several respects. This is because they can only advise before passage, and sue after passage. If the laws we oppose are held constitutional (like the copyright extension), then there is nothing the EFF can do. ] 4) Do you feel that another group (or groups) might be
] necessary to ensure that these rights and freedoms are
] protected? We need to throw people out of office. Congress only responds to those with power. The only way that Congress will respond to the public interest is if the public demonstrates that they wear the pants in this family by firing the people who have sold us out. Such actions will have to be organized. ] 5) Would you be willing to contribute financially to such a
] group? What is the level that you feel you would contribute?
] $10/year? $10/month? Would you encourage your colleagues to
] contribute? Yes. Levels are hard to set in public. I certainly think you could encourage regular contributions if you make people feel like they are a part of the process. "Joining" the EFF means almost nothing. You don't even get a membership card. You should get a card, and print newsletter, access to public meetings and events... You should feel like you belong to something. Honestly, the EFF should be a little like the NRA. Something everyone who owns a computer joins... ] 6) Would you be willing to contribute your time as a volunteer
] to such a group? What is the level you feel you would
] contribute? 1 hour/month? 1 hour/week? Would you encourage
] your colleagues to contribute? A lot... RE: a decent proposal? | 
