From owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Thu Aug 2 11:58:57 2001 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by whois1.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) id LAA105497; Thu, 2 Aug 2001 11:58:57 +1000 (EST) Received: from super.pacific.net.sg (super.pacific.net.sg [203.120.90.72]) by whois1.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id LAA105493 for ; Thu, 2 Aug 2001 11:58:54 +1000 (EST) Received: from getit ([210.24.24.165]) by super.pacific.net.sg with SMTP id f721woI22334 for ; Thu, 2 Aug 2001 09:58:52 +0800 (SGT) Reply-To: From: "Laina Raveendran Greene" To: "Apple@Apnic. Net" Subject: APNIC Policy Proposals for 12th APNIC Open Policy Meeting Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2001 09:59:54 +0800 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2615.200 Importance: Normal Sender: owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Precedence: bulk For your information and action, if you are interested. -----Original Message----- On Behalf Of APNIC Secretariat Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2001 4:48 PM To: apnic-announce@lists.apnic.net APNIC Open Policy Meeting [Note "reply-to:" field] ___________________________________________________________ APNIC Policy Proposals for 12th APNIC Open Policy Meeting ___________________________________________________________ APNIC will present the following proposals at the 12th APNIC Open Policy Meeting in Taipei, 28-31 August 2001: - Criteria for initial IPv4 allocations - Small multihoming assignments (IPv4) - Extension of IPv6 bootstrap period - IPv6 assignments for Internet exchanges A brief summary of each proposal is set out below, including links to detailed discussion papers. All APNIC members and other interested parties in the Internet community are encouraged to consider these proposals in detail before the Open Policy Meeting. Each proposal will be presented in the relevant Special Interest Group (SIG) session. A summary of the SIG discussions, including any consensus items, will then be presented to the APNIC Member Meeting (AMM) on Friday 31 August. Implementation of these proposals will be subject to consensus being reached at the AMM. Comments and suggestions on these proposals should be sent to the relevant SIG-POLICY discussion list. To subscribe to this list and view archived discussions, please see: http://www.apnic.net/lists/ SUMMARY OF PROPOSALS * Proposed criteria for initial, portable allocations of IPv4 address space This document proposes a set of criteria for portable allocations of IPv4 address space. The proposed criteria provide greater certainty, efficiency, and fairness to IPv4 address space requests than are provided by current policy, while supporting more strongly the goals of responsible address space management. The proposed criteria would apply equally to both members and non-members seeking portable address space from APNIC. This proposal is intended to promote Internet development in the Asia Pacific region by providing more certainty and efficiency for those seeking to enter the industry. SIG: Address Policy Discussion list: sig-policy Detailed proposal available at: http://www.apnic.net/meetings/12/sigs/address_policy.html --------------------------- * Proposed small multihoming assignment policy (IPv4) This document proposes a clear policy for making portable assignments to organisations with relatively small address requirements, but a need to multihome. This proposal is intended to promote Internet development in the Asia Pacific region by providing a clear policy that is directly relevant to current industry practices. SIG: Address Policy Discussion list: sig-policy Detailed proposal available at: http://www.apnic.net/meetings/12/sigs/address_policy.html --------------------------- * Proposed extension of the bootstrap period for the allocation of IPv6 address space This is a proposal to extend the bootstrap period for the allocation of IPv6 address space. It is being made in response to community concern that the original bootstrap period was not sufficient, and that a failure to extend it would hamper the widespread deployment of IPv6 address space. SIG: Joint IPv6/Address Policy Discussion list: sig-policy Detailed proposal available at: http://www.apnic.net/meetings/12/sigs/joint_ipv6.html --------------------------- * Proposal for provider independent IPv6 address space assignments for Internet exchanges This is a proposal for a policy describing provider independent IPv6 address space assignments for Internet exchanges. The current IPv6 policy document anticipates the need for such assignments, but, to date, does not describe a policy under which they made be made. SIG: Joint IPv6/Address Policy Discussion list: sig-policy Detailed proposal available at: http://www.apnic.net/meetings/12/sigs/joint_ipv6.html _________________________________________________________________________ APNIC Secretariat Tel: 7-3367-0490 Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) Ltd Fax: 7-3367-0482 Level 1, 33 Park Road, PO Box 2131, Milton, QLD 4064, Australia _________________________________________________________________________ * APNIC-ANNOUNCE: Announcements concerning APNIC * * To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe" to apnic-announce-request@apnic.net * * APNIC-TALK: General APNIC Discussion List * * To unsubscribe: send "unsubscribe" to apnic-talk-request@apnic.net * * APPLe: To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe" to apple-request@apnic.net * From owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Thu Aug 2 14:58:50 2001 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by whois1.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) id OAA67470; Thu, 2 Aug 2001 14:58:49 +1000 (EST) Received: from web13801.mail.yahoo.com (web13801.mail.yahoo.com [216.136.175.11]) by whois1.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with SMTP id OAA67436 for ; Thu, 2 Aug 2001 14:58:46 +1000 (EST) Message-ID: <20010802045844.82116.qmail@web13801.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [140.159.30.10] by web13801.mail.yahoo.com; Thu, 02 Aug 2001 14:58:44 EST Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 14:58:44 +1000 (EST) From: =?iso-8859-1?q?David=20Goldstein?= Subject: various Internet news stories To: APPLe MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Sender: owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Precedence: bulk Hi all A range of stories, with a number of domain name stories at the end. Cheers David ISPs Must Help Stop Hate Web Content - German Politician The number of extreme right-wing German-language Web sites has more than doubled in the past year, now totaling more than 1,000, according to a German politician who often speaks out against racist and hate-group material. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/168444.html Casting a Wider Net in Brazil Efforts to connect Brazil to the 21st century continue in earnest as governments and non-governmental organizations endeavor to provide Internet access to poor and rural areas. According to Brazilian Planning Minister Martus Tavares, the government is about to invest $400 million this year to expand Internet use in Brazil. http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,45526,00.html Court won't dismiss Internet porn law challenge A free-speech challenge to a federal law designed to protect children from pornography on the Internet is headed for trial next February after an appeals court panel refused Thursday to dismiss the case. http://asia.cnn.com/2001/LAW/07/27/internet.porn.reut/index.html Study shows families could save $141 a week on Internet Families could save up to $141 a week by using the Internet at home to pay bills, do banking, shop, send emails and browse for information, a new study has found. Three out of four households saved time or money by using the internet for common tasks, according to the SaveHome study commissioned by the National Office for the Information Economy. http://it.mycareer.com.au/news/2001/07/30/FFXN0SW4RPC.html See http://www.dcita.gov.au/nsapi-graphics/?MIval=dca_dispdoc&pathid=5882 for a news release. Pipe dreams The technology may be superior, but growing complaints and lagging subscriber numbers are begging the question: what's wrong with Australia's broadband Internet access? Cable and DSL should be paving the way for the majority of broadband-hungry users, with the promise of fast, reliable and cost-effective connections from both technologies. Yet the vital signs for broadband are wavering. http://it.mycareer.com.au/news/2001/07/31/FFXOYQW4RPC.html INTERNET RE-POSTING RULED PROTECTED SPEECH A California judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed against a breast implant awareness activist, ruling that the CDA protects individuals from civil liability for Internet postings of statements created by others. The judge ruled the action a SLAPP suit and ordered the complainants to pay legal fees. Coverage at http://www.healthfreedomlaw.com/ Companies face the challenge of privacy The Federal Government's extended Privacy Act coming into effect in less than six months could force the biggest IT infrastructure overhaul for companies since Y2K. And although time is running out, companies remain uncertain about how to get compliant. http://it.mycareer.com.au/news/2001/07/31/FFX9RAY4RPC.html Report claims jump in Net stress Stressed? It could be all that time you're spending on the Internet. A new United States study of 208 Internet users by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh finds that the more they use the Net, the more stress and hassles they have in their daily lives. http://it.mycareer.com.au/news/2001/07/31/FFXR7RW4RPC.html .au transfer delay just not cricket It might not be a coincidence that Robert Elz, the keeper of Australia's domain names, has effectively gone missing right now. The publicity-averse University of Melbourne programmer is needed to give his assent to a transfer of the com.au name space to the .au Domain Authority (auDA) so it can get on with badly needed reforms. http://it.mycareer.com.au/news/2001/07/31/FFXCDKGPPPC.html Domain land rush Registries for .info and .biz accepting applications Online consumers with a pioneer spirit will soon have the opportunity to homestead new Internet territory outside the traditional dot-com realm. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/07/29/BU14856.DTL CHINESE CYBERSQUATTERS FACE CIVIL PUNISHMENT The Chinese Supreme Court has ruled that cybersquatters may now face civil liability for their action. Cybersquatting, defined as registering someone else's trademark as a domain name, will result in liability if found to be malicious. http://www.chinaonline.com/topstories/010725/1/c01072310.asp DOT-US BIDS CLOSED The US government has closed the bidding on proposals to manage its .us Internet domain. The decision came despite pleas from lawmakers, computer users and public-interest groups that the process should be given more time. http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/tech/000316.htm Populist Auerbach raises issues and hackles on Net policy board To some, Karl Auerbach is a cyber-Robin Hood, underdog crusader for the free and unfettered Internet. To others, he is an acid-tongued critic, a wannabe cult figure who advocates the overturn of law and order on the Web. Auerbach, a former Cisco Systems engineer from Santa Cruz, has become a lightning rod in the stormy debate over who controls the arcane but crucial system for guiding users around the Internet. http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/depth/auerba080101.htm MelbIT bounces back in first half http://australianit.news.com.au/common/storyPage/0,3811,2470424%255E442,00.h tml Melbourne IT sees positive signs in second half http://it.mycareer.com.au/breaking/2001/07/30/FFXFYSW4RPC.html US court challenge to Melbourne IT .biz-ness http://it.mycareer.com.au/news/2001/07/31/FFX70JGPPPC.html Melbourne IT faces court over .biz http://www.theage.com.au/business/2001/07/27/FFXU2XFPLPC.html Melbourne IT accused of foul play http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/internet/story/0,2000020814,20238698-1,00.htm ===== David Goldstein email: Goldstein_David@yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile) _____________________________________________________________________________ http://messenger.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Messenger - Voice chat, mail alerts, stock quotes and favourite news and lots more! * APPLe: To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe" to apple-request@apnic.net * From owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Fri Aug 3 15:55:44 2001 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by whois1.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) id PAA95482; Fri, 3 Aug 2001 15:55:44 +1000 (EST) Received: from web13803.mail.yahoo.com (web13803.mail.yahoo.com [216.136.175.13]) by whois1.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with SMTP id PAA95472 for ; Fri, 3 Aug 2001 15:55:41 +1000 (EST) Message-ID: <20010803055539.518.qmail@web13803.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [140.159.30.10] by web13803.mail.yahoo.com; Fri, 03 Aug 2001 15:55:39 EST Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2001 15:55:39 +1000 (EST) From: =?iso-8859-1?q?David=20Goldstein?= Subject: Mainland Net rules 'hurting freedom' To: APPLe MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Sender: owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Precedence: bulk Mainland Net rules 'hurting freedom' China has brought in 60 sets of rules to control Internet content under which 14 people have been jailed for expressing personal views, according to a New York-based rights group. "Tightening Chinese government controls on the Internet are having a chilling effect on academic freedom, commercial exchanges and ordinary communication," Human Rights Watch said in a report on Internet regulation. http://technology.scmp.com/internet/ZZZ8MKB5RPC.html ===== David Goldstein email: Goldstein_David@yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile) _____________________________________________________________________________ http://messenger.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Messenger - Voice chat, mail alerts, stock quotes and favourite news and lots more! * APPLe: To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe" to apple-request@apnic.net * From owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Fri Aug 10 12:24:12 2001 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by whois1.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) id MAA70774; Fri, 10 Aug 2001 12:24:11 +1000 (EST) Received: from sydney.net (armstrong.apic.net [203.22.101.2]) by whois1.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id MAA70767 for ; Fri, 10 Aug 2001 12:24:09 +1000 (EST) Received: from user.apic.net (nas0ppp37.apic.net [203.22.103.47]) by sydney.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id MAA01056; Fri, 10 Aug 2001 12:23:50 +1000 Message-Id: <5.0.2.1.0.20010810122421.02f207e0@mail.apic.net> X-Sender: bala@mail.apic.net X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.0.2 Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2001 12:26:50 +1000 To: do-asia@yahoogroups.com From: Bala Pillai Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?IT_growth_effecting_changes_in_M=92sian_?= democracy: UKM lecturers Cc: apple@apnic.net Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Precedence: bulk http://www.malaysiakini.com/News/2001/08/2001080904.php3 IT growth effecting changes in M'sian democracy: UKM lecturers Susan Loone 3:26pm, Thu: The advancement of Information technology (IT) has brought about changes to the development of democracy in Malaysia, said two Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) lecturers. Nidzam Sulaiman and Zaini Othman said although the widening democratic space is in a virtual form, it has conceptually opened societies to opportunities for political participation in an atmosphere of less fear. "This democratic space is seen to be beyond the control and dominance of the ruling government whether legally or mentally," they said. The lecturers said this when presenting a paper entitled 'Information Technology, Cyber Power and Democracy' at the Malaysian Studies Conference in UKM yesterday. According to them the growth of IT knowledge and cyber power have also released the grip of the government's intellectual hegemony which is evident in Malaysia's limited democratic space. Pseudo-democracy Meanwhile, an Australian lecturer said at the same conference that Malaysia has been frequently depicted as an exemplary pseudo-democracy with its government armored in single-party dominance. William Case of Griffith University Brisbane said the Malaysian government has thus "greatly limited but not extinguished civil liberties, while distorting, but not tightly rigging electoral procedures". "Indeed, what stands out in Malaysian elections is the extent to which they are competitive, enabling the opposition to routinely win 40 to 45 percent of the popular vote at the parliamentary level, while capturing some of the state assemblies outright," said Case. "Accordingly, despite the gerrymandering, mal-apportionment, and highly partisan use of state facilities and media outlets, rule bending has never been so severe that exasperated opposition parties have responded with boycotts, street actions, organised rural violence or other anti- system strategies," he added. Dutifully endorsed Case claimed that these characteristics of Malaysian elections were often dutifully endorsed by a 'pliable' Election Commission. "Instead opposition parties have duly taken their seats in Parliament and state assemblies, there to try and keep the state government at least mildly accountable," he added. Case said that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had been able to draw deftly upon the electoral competitiveness that takes place to add legitimacy to his government's tenure. "He (Mahathir) thus advises plausibly, or at least not absurdly, 'Our way is through general elections. If (the people) like us they will elect us. If they don't they can elect someone else'," he quoted the premier as saying in the New Straits Times (April 21). Case presented a paper entitled 'Elections as Flywheels: Advancing or Reversing Malaysia's Hard-driving Democracy?' at the three-day conference which ends today. The conference with the theme 'Malaysia in Transformation: Problems and Challenges' was organised by Malaysian Social Sciences Association, in collaboration with UKM's Institute of Malaysian and International Studies and Institute of the Malay World and Civilisation. The topics covered at the conference include government and politics, labour, immigration and management, women and development, science and technology, environment and society, education and health, international relations, globalisation and culture, language and literature. Bala Pillai , sydney, australia Founder, The Asia Pacific Internet Company (since 1995) Networking Minds in Halls Without Walls (*sm) APIC Family: * APPLe: To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe" to apple-request@apnic.net * From owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Wed Aug 15 17:46:27 2001 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by whois3.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) id RAA05675; Wed, 15 Aug 2001 17:46:27 +1000 (EST) Received: from guardian.apnic.net (guardian.apnic.net [203.37.255.100]) by whois3.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id RAA05668 for ; Wed, 15 Aug 2001 17:46:26 +1000 (EST) Received: (from mail@localhost) by guardian.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) id RAA05748 for ; Wed, 15 Aug 2001 17:03:56 +1000 (EST) Received: from web13808.mail.yahoo.com(216.136.175.18) by int-gw.staff.apnic.net via smap (V2.1) id xma005734; Wed, 15 Aug 01 17:03:42 +1000 Message-ID: <20010815070241.88565.qmail@web13808.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [210.84.121.36] by web13808.mail.yahoo.com; Wed, 15 Aug 2001 17:02:41 EST Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 17:02:41 +1000 (EST) From: =?iso-8859-1?q?David=20Goldstein?= Subject: Fwd: 9-CALL FOR REVIEWERS: Draft NRC report on "Tools and Strategies for Protecting Kids from Pornography and Their Applicability to Other Inappropriate Internet Content." To: APPLe MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Sender: owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Precedence: bulk Hi all I'm assuming this wasn't on APPLe, but aplogies if it was. It might be of interest to some. cheers David --- Herb Lin wrote: > From: "Herb Lin" > To: ITAS@nas.edu > Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 06:03:44 -0400 > Subject: 9-CALL FOR REVIEWERS: Draft NRC report on "Tools and > Strategies > for Protecting Kids from Pornography and Their Applicability to > Other Inappropriate Internet Content." > > Apologies if you get more than one copy of this note - we are > sending this to > many parties to generate the broadest possible universe from which > to select > reviewers. > > > > CALL FOR REVIEWERS - PLEASE POST WIDELY > > The National Research Council seeks reviewers for a draft report on > its project > on "Tools and Strategies for Protecting Kids from Pornography and > Their > Applicability to Other Inappropriate Internet Content." More > information on > this project, including a list of committee members, can be found > at < > http://www.itasnrc.org>. > > Purpose of review > > Every report of the National Research Council must be reviewed by a > diverse > group of experts other than its authors before it may be released > outside the > institution. This independent, rigorous review is a hallmark that > distinguishes > the NRC from many other organizations offering scientific and > technical advice > on issues of national importance. The purpose of such review is to > assist the > authors in making their report as accurate and effective as > possible, and to > enhance the clarity, cogency, and credibility of the final > document. > > Responsibilities of reviewers > > Reviewers are asked to consider whether in their judgment the > evidence and > arguments presented are sound and the report is fully responsive to > the study > charge, not whether they concur with the findings. Reviewers > provide written > comments on any and all aspects of the draft report, and the > authoring committee > is expected to consider all review comments and to provide written > responses to > those comments, either modifying the report accordingly or > explaining why the > report was not modified. The committee's responses are themselves > evaluated by > the National Research Council for adequacy and completeness. Note > that NRC > reports have a history of changing significantly between draft and > final > versions as the result of reviewer comments. > > Qualifications of reviewers > > Reviewers of NRC reports are selected on the basis of personal > expertise in a > field or fields relevant to the subject matter of the report; a > dedication to > drawing conclusions based on the analysis of data and information; > sufficiently > seniority in their fields to warrant broad respect for their > intellect, > fairness, and stature. Names of reviewers are made public at the > time of the > report's final publication, but during the review process they are > anonymous to > the committee and staff. > > Confidentiality of report > > Because NRC reports change as the result of review, reviewers must > be willing to > keep the draft report absolutely confidential and otherwise abide > by the NRC's > guidelines for reviewing of reports. > > Procedure for submitting names > > Please forward nominations for reviewers (self-nominations > acceptable) to > itas@nas.edu. The "subject" line of the e-mail should say > "reviewer > nomination." Submitted nominations should include contact > information, > biographies (including relevant published works, public statements, > and current > or former positions of relevance), and indications of relevant > expertise and the > perspective on the subject that the nominee will bring. Note that > while the NRC > seeks nominations from a wide variety of sources, it reserves the > exclusive > right to determine reviewers of its reports. > > Deadline for Nominations > > While nominations may be submitted at any time, nominations without > the > information described above, or received after September 15, 2001, > may not be > fully considered. > > > More information is available from the Web site of this project at > < > http://www.itasnrc.org> or from > Herb Lin (Study Director), at 202-334-2605. > > ===== David Goldstein email: Goldstein_David@yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile) _____________________________________________________________________________ http://shopping.yahoo.com.au - Father's Day Shopping - Find the perfect gift for your Dad for Father's Day * APPLe: To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe" to apple-request@apnic.net * From owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Wed Aug 15 17:46:35 2001 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by whois3.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) id RAA05714; Wed, 15 Aug 2001 17:46:32 +1000 (EST) Received: from guardian.apnic.net (guardian.apnic.net [203.37.255.100]) by whois3.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id RAA05699 for ; Wed, 15 Aug 2001 17:46:29 +1000 (EST) Received: (from mail@localhost) by guardian.apnic.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) id PAA03998 for ; Wed, 15 Aug 2001 15:58:27 +1000 (EST) Received: from web13807.mail.yahoo.com(216.136.175.17) by int-gw.staff.apnic.net via smap (V2.1) id xma003996; Wed, 15 Aug 01 15:58:07 +1000 Message-ID: <20010815055706.9287.qmail@web13807.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [203.25.32.10] by web13807.mail.yahoo.com; Wed, 15 Aug 2001 15:57:06 EST Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 15:57:06 +1000 (EST) From: =?iso-8859-1?q?David=20Goldstein?= Subject: The Internet's new borders To: APPLe MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Sender: owner-apple@lists.apnic.net Precedence: bulk Hi all An article from The Economist which was accompanied by another article which could probably be found on their web site. Cheers David The Internet's new borders Geographical lines and locations are increasingly being imposed on the Internet. Is this good or bad? LONG, long ago in the history of the Internet—way back in February 1996—John Perry Barlow, an Internet activist, published a “Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace”. It was a well-meaning stunt that captured the spirit of the time, when great hopes were pinned on the emerging medium as a force that would encourage freedom and democracy. “Governments of the industrial world,” Mr Barlow declared, “on behalf of the future, I ask you of the past to leave us alone. You are not welcome among us. You have no sovereignty where we gather. You have no moral right to rule us nor do you possess any methods of enforcement we have true reason to fear. Cyberspace does not lie within your borders.” Those were the days. At the time, it was widely believed that the Internet would help undermine authoritarian regimes, reduce governments' abilities to levy taxes, and circumvent all kinds of local regulation. The Internet was a parallel universe of pure data, an exciting new frontier where a lawless freedom prevailed. But it now seems that this was simply a glorious illusion. For it turns out that governments do, in fact, have a great deal of sovereignty over cyberspace. The Internet is often perceived as being everywhere yet nowhere, as free-floating as a cloud—but in fact it is subject to geography after all, and therefore to law. The idea that the Internet was impossible to regulate dates back to when its architecture was far simpler than now. All sorts of new technologies have since been bolted on to the network, to speed up the delivery of content, protect networks from intruders, or target advertising depending on a user's country or city of origin (see article). All of these technologies have mundane commercial uses. But in some cases they have also provided governments with ways to start bringing the Internet under the rule of local laws. “The diffusion of the Internet does not necessarily spell the demise of authoritarian rule” The same firewall and filtering technology that is used to protect corporate networks from intrusion is also, for example, used to isolate Internet users in China from the rest of the network. A recent report on the Internet's impact in China by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP), a private think-tank based in Washington, DC, found that the government has been able to limit political discourse online. Chinese citizens are encouraged to get on the Internet, but access to overseas sites is strictly controlled, and what users post online is closely monitored. The banned Falun Gong movement has had its website shut down altogether. By firewalling the whole country, China has been able to stifle the Internet's supposedly democratising influence. “The diffusion of the Internet does not necessarily spell the demise of authoritarian rule,” the CEIP report glumly concluded. Similarly, Singapore and Saudi Arabia filter and censor Internet content, and South Korea has banned access to gambling websites. In Iran, it is illegal for children to use the Internet, and access-providers are required to prevent access to immoral or anti-Iranian material. In these countries, local standards apply, even on the Internet. To American cyber-libertarians, who had hoped that the Internet would spread their free-speech gospel around the world, this is horrifying. Yahoo! is appealing against the French decision, because it sets a precedent that would require websites to filter their content to avoid breaking country-specific laws. It would also have a chilling effect on free speech, since a page posted online in one country might break the laws of another. Enforcing a judgment against the original publisher might not be possible, but EU countries have already agreed to enforce each other's laws under the Brussels Convention, and there are moves afoot to extend this scheme to other countries too, at least in the areas of civil and commercial law, under the auspices of the Hague Convention. It is true that filtering and geolocation are not watertight, and can be circumvented by skilled users. Filters and firewalls can be defeated by dialling out to an overseas Internet access-provider; geolocation can be fooled by accessing sites via another computer in another country. E-mail can be encrypted. But while dedicated dissidents will be prepared to go to all this trouble, many Internet users are unable to change their browsers' home pages, let alone resort to these sorts of measures. So it seems unlikely that the libertarian ethos of the Internet will trickle very far down in countries with authoritarian regimes. The upshot is that local laws are already being applied on the Internet. Old-style geographical borders are proving surprisingly resilient. Getting real In some ways this is a shame, in others not. It is certainly a pity that the Internet has not turned out to be quite the force for freedom that it once promised to be. But in many ways, the imposition of local rules may be better than the alternatives: no regulation at all, or a single set of rules for the whole world. A complete lack of regulation gives a free hand to cheats and criminals, and expecting countries with different cultural values to agree upon even a set of lowest-common-denominator rules is unrealistic. In some areas, maybe, such as extradition and consumer protection, some countries or groups of countries may be able to agree on common rules. But more controversial matters such as free speech, pornography and gambling are best regulated locally, even if that means some countries imposing laws that cyber-libertarians object to. Figuring out whose laws apply will not always be easy, and thrashing all of this out will take years. But it will be reassuring for consumers and businesses alike to know that online transactions are governed and protected by laws. The likely outcome is that, like shipping and aviation, the Internet will be subject to a patchwork of overlapping regulations, with local laws that respect local sensibilities, supplemented by higher-level rules governing cross-border transactions and international standards. In that respect, the rules governing the Internet will end up like those governing the physical world. That was only to be expected. Though it is inspiring to think of the Internet as a placeless datasphere, the Internet is part of the real world. Like all frontiers, it was wild for a while, but policemen always show up eventually. http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=730089 ===== David Goldstein email: Goldstein_David@yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile) _____________________________________________________________________________ http://shopping.yahoo.com.au - Father's Day Shopping - Find the perfect gift for your Dad for Father's Day * APPLe: To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe" to apple-request@apnic.net *