[Bradford] Cleanfeed [WAS Re: Fwd: DEAPPG Panel Event on Net Neutrality: A Briefing paper]

[Robert Burrell Donkin]

On Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 2:27 PM, Thomas Mangin
<thomas.mangin at exa-networks.co.uk> wrote:
>> Network neutrality is a joke when the vast majority of UK internet
>> traffic is filtered through the IWF CleanFeed system, when all UK
>> mobile providers have signed up to a working group which has declared
>> mobile internet should be filtered to protect children
>
> This is an unrelated topic, however I can see how as there is no definition of NN you could say that.
>
> ISP are under _enormous_ lobbying to become the police of the net IWF, DEACT, ... (and without any judge "obviously").
> Hopefully, they do not like the idea and are really starting to fight back.

+1

> But even if Cleanfeed does not protect any children, how can you refuse to do anything.
> Imagine the <tabloid> line : ISP <x> supports child abuse.
>
> Politicians care about people opinion and perception, that what get them re-elected, not technical reality.

+1

pay-to-play lobbying is typical here in the UK but there are some
genuine and very dedicated people within the system. Though a
surprising amount of time the system is horribly biased in favour of
those with influence and money, the people operating it are often very
keen to help you work around this. You just need to convince them that
you're not an angry nutter  - so treat them with respect.

>> when UK law
>> requires ISPs to block access to sites "glorifying or inciting
>> terrorism", when many ISPs are pushing traffic through transparent web
>> proxies.  And that's on top of the issues Richard's brought up.
>
> They work for you ! take some PAPER and a PEN and write to your MP (or press print).
> MP react better when it costed you a stamp to contact them..
> Change their perception ..

I've had some successes and failures in the past with this game.

My suggestion is to write *briefly* on pen and pencil outlining your
concerns. Then follow up (a couple of weeks later) with a long email -
you need to hit the right tone for this one - aim for a discussion
with some clear questions (and make sure you refer to the first
letter). Compose it in a text editor but don't send it right away -
come back a week or so later and you sound like a sensible everyman.
BCC yourself in - when you get no reply after 7 days, forward the
original headed by a question about why you've had no reply. Once
you've been ignored *now* you have the evidence required to appear in
person at a surgery :-)

You get back what you put. If you just want to feel better by ranting
about the unfairness of the world, just walk out onto the moors and
let it all out. If you want to influence policy then you need to
invest a lot of energy and creativity.

Robert