Speak Up Project

I started a Facebook group just the other day for Speak Up Project. I knew it would be a difficult thing to get others to sign on to. Asking people to declare a stance on something is no easy task. The problem is most people don’t really have a point of view about something in the first place, so they don’t want to be responsible for owning up to that.

I can respect that, and don’t expect others to associate themselves with what they don’t know. That’s where a call to education comes in.

You see, here at Speak Up, we’re talking about a problem. The problem isn’t that the Internet is free and full of information. The problem isn’t that we’re scared of that information attacking us and holding us hostage in world of robots and microchips. We’re not doomsdayists. We actually have a positive outlook.

The problem is that we’re trying to tell people that the bad of the Internet is linked to an issue of Internet governance. Many youth don’t even know what that is. They don’t know how it affects them. As long as they get online, get what they want, and get off then they are happy.

So then why are we so concerned? For a few reasons.

1. Pornography - Pornography is known to be destructive. Sure, there are people who are going to say that they enjoy it with their spouses, or it’s something they do just some of the time. However studies prove that it has some side effects that are detrimental.

• Broken homes and marriages - So many couples break up because of pornography. Many people who have problems are less apt to solve them and more apt to go to a quick fix for pleasure. Could it be called a drug? I look at it this way… would you be upset if your spouse was cheating on you and getting his/her pleasure with another human? Then why is it okay that they’re doing it with a computer? They are still going elsewhere for pleasure, not you. They still are building up in their mind a defense against facing life’s problems. Sometimes couples fight and argue… the ones who work it out usually find out they still love each other and are able to rekindle past romances.
• Degrading to women - In a society that’s so obsessed with trying to eradicate problems with discrimination and hatred, it appalls me that we are okay with pornography. I’ve seen countless accounts of women saying how embarrassing and degrading it is for them. How can we turn our head one way and fight for the right for women to be respected and honored and then conversely allow to have pornography in our homes?
• Porn destroys productivity, it’s in the stats - CP80’s site has some interesting stats up about how porn truly effects productivity beyond the personal life. It actually effects the professional life. Sorry, but read the stats.

So we’ve said before we don’t like to take a moral stance… I mean if you’re okay with all the things I mentioned before and pornography in your home is a green light.. then that’s another story. I guess we do have to retract our point and say that we think pornography does more harm than good.

2. Security - I read an interesting article about Internet security and how amazing it is that we just trust the Internet. We hear about Identity theft, robbery, hacking, etc. all the time. I also read about how terrorist organizations are proclaiming that the Internet is a cheap and easy tool to push their terrorist efforts. They’re not shy about that.

So when did a little security ever hurt us? All at the expense of some governance?

3. Protecting rights with government is more effective than not - History proves that trying to protect rights like free speech without something to govern those rights is fruitless. I don’t know why people seem to think the Internet is different. By turning a blind eye to the issues when they crop up because we want to be able to say and do what we want, we give in to oppressive material. What happens when the number of child pornographers and people into child pornography eventually outnumber the number of measures and people willing to resolve the issue? Do we just accept it at that point?

The Internet has some amazing content, all for our use. The progress with things like Web 2.0 and open source software is proving to be an essential tool in taking technology to the people. There are ways however to make things work more effectively. We don’t need to just let the Internet happen if it starts to prove dangerous.

My Facebook group has got a bit of attention, and people are sharing their views. I like that. I don’t care if they hate or love our ideas… I think the debate only gives way to finding a solution. I think that turning people’s minds on to the idea that the Internet needs more interaction will help feed the fire that organizations like ICANN know that they should be putting out.

Have you ever heard of Digg? If not, it’s about time you did.

Digg is a social news website that empowers users to choose the content they want to read. If you like a story, you “digg” it and it moves up the chain. Only the best stories make it to the top pages for each category. Digg has been a powerful tool for infogeeks and technophiles all over the world.

Over the last week, an individual had cracked the code put in HD-DVD players that decrypts the data. This means that software can now easily be written to circumvent copy protection digital rights management. The key was owned by the MPAA according to US law. Due to this, the key has been deemed as an illegal number. Despite all this, the key was published all over the Internet.

When the key was published, Digg users did everything in their power to distribute the key and promote it to the front page. It worked. DCMA takedown notices were issued to Digg and their users promptly demanding the keys to come down due to copyright infringement. Users did not abide and Digg was left in a difficult position.

A few days later, Digg founder Kevin Rose made a statement about the position they were forced into. To quote his words:

Today was an insane day. And as the founder of Digg, I just wanted to post my thoughts…

In building and shaping the site I’ve always tried to stay as hands on as possible. We’ve always given site moderation (digging/burying) power to the community. Occasionally we step in to remove stories that violate our terms of use (eg. linking to pornography, illegal downloads, racial hate sites, etc.). So today was a difficult day for us. We had to decide whether to remove stories containing a single code based on a cease and desist declaration. We had to make a call, and in our desire to avoid a scenario where Digg would be interrupted or shut down, we decided to comply and remove the stories with the code.

But now, after seeing hundreds of stories and reading thousands of comments, you’ve made it clear. You’d rather see Digg go down fighting than bow down to a bigger company. We hear you, and effective immediately we won’t delete stories or comments containing the code and will deal with whatever the consequences might be.

If we lose, then what the hell, at least we died trying.

Here’s an image of what the Digg pages looked like. Click here.

Digg decided not to err on the side of caution and listen to their users. As one of the top visited websites on the Internet, this move means so much for the pacing and direction of our Internet than we have seen in a long time. By giving in to the democracy of the issue, Digg users won over the law and Digg decided not to take down the stories with the HD-DVD key.

Today a story surfaced in the Times Online about the efforts being made to take legal action against bloggers who published the key. Bloggers on the Internet have been claiming that such a matter is an issue of free speech. Despite the legal implications they are fighting for their right to spread the information.

The matter is still unresolved, and people are finding more and more reasons to confront this issue. The question is, what really is free speech? When laws are being broken, and people are suffering at the hand of “free speech” what should happen? Does free speech receive a definition that’s all too liberally applied? It’s for us to decide.

Speak Up Project is all about making a point that goes past your ideas. If your voice is unheard then your point is moot. IF you wait for things to happen, you’ll always be disappointed. You have to take control of your ideas and get them across in an effective manner.

We’ve put together a list of some of the best ways to make a point stick. Whether you have opinions about Internet governance or lobbying for your own personal rights, these tactics will give you a foundation for success in debate.

1. Do your research - If you’re going to argue, you have got to know your stuff. A little bit of knowledge goes a long way in social or political debates. The truth is often those who lack the necessary knowledge often regress to personal attacks and irrational thinking. Once you’ve proved a point and brought someone to this point, you’ve taken the upper hand. Debating isn’t to attack or debase a person, it’s to show that your argument holds weight.

2. Know who to talk to - So many points go unheard, and for a good reason. Often times those who have a point to argue with an organization fail to demand the right attention. Although this process is lengthy at times, it’s truly worth it. What worse is that subordinates often take an authoritative role and make decisions on behalf of their organization with those who want to confront them. These people are frequently not qualified to understand, and unwilling to listen to protect their superiors. Organizational leaders can tend to be very open minded.

3. Have a purpose in mind, and stick to it - Your opinions are not enough. Once you make your point clear, you have to know what you want from it. Are you asking for something? Do you have an action in mind that you are looking to have executed? If you drive a point home, and don’t have anywhere to go from there, you lose your credibility.

4. Make it a team effort - Large battles are seldom successfully fought alone. If you’re out to take an issue on, go at it with more than yourself. It’s also critical to have witnesses to your argument in case you really do make some headway.

5. Be calm - Don’t ever resort to offensive, harsh language. Don’t ever give in to the frustration. Keep a cool, calm demeanor. Speak to your party like you respect them. Strike that balance between being bold, and being respectable as well. It’s possible. If you’re not willing to budge, do so peacefully. You’ll always regret resorting to frustrated argument and personal attacks.

6. Don’t be obsessed with the last word - In conjunction with the previous point, be discretionary about how much you choose to say. Just get your information out with a concise and honest point. The most well articulated people are inevitably more convincing. Your intelligence and forthrightness will speak volumes and resonate. Getting the last word will only put the other party on the defensive.

7. Be positive - If you have a point to make, then it’s important to come off like you’re striving for a better cause. You want to convince the opposing party that you have the ideas that will support that better cause. If you want change, you have to make people see the positive side of change. Often times attacking people insults their work and effort. What’s most important is to open the minds of your opposing party.

8. Follow up - So what happens when you get heard and you make a case? What do you do then? Is the party you are lobbying for change just appeasing you with answers they know you want to hear? You have to follow up. Make sure they’re sticking to their word.

While we give you the information needed to make yourself heard, you are the only one who can actually do it. So come on and speak up!

Why do we have a tool so conducive to the power of free speech like the Internet, but we have such a hard time getting what we are entitled to?

Do we have the right to be protected from disturbing content? Do we have the right to make transactions online without giving out all our personal information and putting ourselves at risk? Do we have the right to access all the benefits of online content without being bombarded by advertising? Do we have the right to see what helps us and block what hurts us?

Yes we do.

Our knowledge is great and our power is potent. The voice of the people is what drives the Internet. Never before have extreme parties seen such a forum to promote their views. Many of these views are good for society. We are pushed and pulled all over while we try to make agreements in the middle. The Internet has promoted public discourse, freedom of speech, and an unbridled access to communication that has furthered our economy and development.

With great power comes great responsibility. Users of the Internet are finding it harder and harder to resolve their problems with harmful content and come to terms with the need to get online. Many web users live in fear, whether mild or otherwise, that they are being watched. The generation gap between the web 2.0 savvy generation and the rest is getting so wide, that there seems to be a disinterest in learning just how much the Internet effects us.

At Speak Up Project, we’re calling for a voice of the people to motivate those who have control to help us take charge of what’s ours. Those of us who spend our days on the Internet for work or pleasure know what we want. We know what is harming our families. We are calling people to action. We are asking for a voice to make sure that we can freely access information without the fear of what that information is.

The presentation of free media on the Internet that is controlled by users has been one of the most empowering innovations of the 21st century. In a sense, the promotion of public discourse through online media an awakening experience. Whether through reality television or viral video, Internet surfers are finding more and more entertainment and information that’s generated by their piers. This lack of filtering and editing in much of the media is a problem for some.
These “some” we’re talking about are foreign governments like those of Thailand. In an article put out yesterday by the International Herald Tribune, Thai officials are in a heated battle with YouTube about how to regulate the content that their citizens can access. Surfacing videos highlighting some anti-government propoganda are being accessed by the people of Thailand. The growing uneasiness has been spreading accross other boundaries as well, and different cultures are finding fault with the online video service’s unbridled access to content on the Internet.

There’s a moral conundrum shouting in the face of restraint here. It seems that everyone is terribly hands off about regulating the Internet for the sake of promoting total free speech. Who controls the Internet? What right do they have to that power?

What stands today is that ICANN indirectly controls the access to much of the Internet content that is causing this uproar. ICANN has the ability to control the structuring of the web. In its current state, domains and addresses are all available to users across the globe who get a dial up or more. The speedy pace of technology is making it more possible for youth and adults to access the web on their private devices.

By not taking any action at all, this freedom of information is proving to cause a serious problem in many different demographics of the world. People are claiming that this is a natural evolution. The anarchic qualities of the Internet give way to unparalelled progression. If those tools were to be bound into submission, then we would be robbing people of free speech.

However, the global attitude toward communication and free speech is not always in sync. Many countries frown upon the free distribution of pornographic content on the Internet. Other’s are uneasy at the public mocking of their civic leaders. By letting things like YouTube become a privately accessible forum for individuals to defy the standards set forth by the country they live in, hostilites toward the Internet grow.

The question is does this battle give way to solving a problem?

We’ll be exploring this topic and getting the voices of those who have been in this arena for a long time. What do they think? What are some of the solutions? Stick around to find out more.

Thinking about writing for this blog has taxed my mind unlike any other. Trying to strike a balance between prudence and honesty tends to sytematically cancel out most of the thought provoking ideas I come up with. It just tells me that maybe I shouldn’t be prudent, or perhaps honest.

Well, surely I will never let honesty suffer at the expense of prudence.

This blog will be about Internet governance, freedom of speech, freedom of information, the question about pornography on the Internet, the effects of communication without boundaries both good and bad, the exposure of those who “run” the Internet, and whatever else I deem as appropriately interesting and specifically pertaining to the matter.

This is your Internet, but as of right now you have no control and all the control in the world at the very same time.

You have no control because the haphazard way of regulating the internet gives way to a “hands-off” approach at protection. There are too many things that can be said without consequence. I think of a time one of my old room mates who served in Iraq decided to show me videos of people getting their heads blown off… as a joke. Where maybe his desensitized view of death made it humourous, I was bothered. I had to wonder, “how does this stuff make it online?

However, you have complete control because the Internet depends on you to thrive. The fact that I can start a blog like this, get people to read it, and generate opinions about what I do is purely indicative of the raw power that resides online. I can say something real personal, and if enough people take to it, it can become a standard. You have complete control because people will listen to you, sometimes to your expense.

The modern day thrust towards bigger, better, faster, and more is fed by the Internet. I will explore the ideas behind how this works. I will explore the different measures that are or are not being taken to protect us from letting the Internet get completely out of hand. I will reveal the strengths of the tools we have and expose their abilities to make us better. I will also try to point out its failures and weaknesses, and provide an option for solutions to allowing the information to take over the user.

I’m no expert, but I have a voice and I have the Internet. According to our standard today, that more than qualifies me to be an authority on these matters.