Re: <nettime> French Big Brother Awards 2000 !

[ronda@ais.org (Ronda Hauben)]

Jmm <jmm@transfert.net> wrote:

>'lo-o,

>> So I was surprised to see that there are Voltaire awards being
>> given, but not for defending the right to free speech, but rather
>> for defending "privacy".

      >"any discussion to freedom of expression regards privacy, and
      >vice versa, it's a condition of human rights that they are
      >equal".

I wasn't commenting that it was a problem giving an award regarding
privacy, but was surprised that the name of the award had to do with
Voltaire and Orwell.

In my experience Voltaire and Orwell have come to symbolize the importance
of the defense of the right to express diverse opinions, even when they
are unpopular.

And in the pressure of the commercial thrust against the founding culture
of the Internet, there is ever more of a need to support the right of
unpopular views to have an airing, as the commercial entities who are
trying to take over the control of content are not happy with the online
populace have a means to have their voices heard.

The principle governing early Usenet was the Voltaire principle "Though I
may disagree with what you say I will dual to the death to defend your
right to say it."

This, too, needs its champions today more than ever.

In the wake of ICANN and the effort of the US government to try to pass
vital public policy making issues and public property to a private entity,
there is an ever more vital need to find a way to protect the public's
right to speak and public property.


With best wishes

Ronda
ronda@panix.com
http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/netbook/
http://www.ais.org/~ronda/




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