So, whats happening

yellum

Just wondering whats the progress with the Freedom Group ? Not been reading the mailing list lately...

spod

no traffic on the list lately.

dahamsta

Sorry, didn't see this. Sum up: nothing. I don't think this is going anywhere, and to be honest I don't really fancy being a one-man-show. I guess we'll just have to wait until something happens and play it by ear.

adam

DeVore

If nothing is happening then can we (admins) be let know, I would prefer to tidy this up into Security or make a fully fledged (non-computer focused) Civil Liberties forum.

DeV.

dahamsta

Originally posted by DeVore
If nothing is happening then can we (admins) be let know, I would prefer to tidy this up into Security or make a fully fledged (non-computer focused) Civil Liberties forum.

I'd be inclined to endorse the latter, although it's questionable how successful it would be.

adam

karlin

If anything is going to happen around forming a group, and if that group wants to be effective in getting some media space on the issue, it needs to happen now. The reason why is that the Department is likely to publish the bill dealing with data retention any day now -- it is on the list of legislation to be handled in this Dail term.

If a group forms after the bill is published, it will miss the boat on offering commentary. The media will want to know the issues and will be looking for spokespeople at the time the bill comes out, not several days or especially weeks after. There's also a very short time frame in which this bill will be debated (if it is debated at all) because the Dept wants the legislation on the books by autumn.

That should be protested, as well as the fact that there still has not been a single public hearing on the issue. The Dept. knows well that by dragging out the timeframe they've let interest disperse -- including from any form of organised opposition.

If people don't want to form a group around these issues -- which would be a shame, as Ireland is now proposing (and indeed, already has in place thru secret cabinet directive) the most oppressive retention regime *in the western world* -- then interested individuals should consider talking to Malachy Murphy. the digital rights convener at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, about aligning with them in some productive way.

The general feeling I am getting from concerned people in government is that this three-year proposal will go through, unless there is organised and very public opposition as well as very strong opposition from within other government departments. ICT Ireland has made a public statement on the issue last week but otherwise there's little noise being made about it. If it goes through, there are very substantial costs that will be passed along to consumers and businesses, small to large (meaning -- your ISP, landline and mobile bill is going to rise and rise). Expect knock-on effects on the Irish economy, too, as the attractiveness of Ireland as a business environment will immediately decline. Believe me, the multinationals -- yep, the real big ones too -- are watching this with some concern. The vulnerable end is the tech sector -- the jobs will go elsewhere.

I've made these arguments a few times so I'll leave it at that. But be very, very aware of these issues if you are working in the tech sector, especially for a multinational, or if you care how much you are paying for Net access (civil rights issues aside).

Karlin Lillington, Irish Times

telemekus

Cant believe no can get it together!
Typical of us Irish isnt it.
Just look at this.(particularly at the side bar)
This is where its all going (or gone).

http://www.cio.com/archive/061598_visual_content.html
Great Pic on the above page at start. Chilling kind of.