[P2P-F] Fwd: [opennetcoalition] “eG8 forum”: Governments and Corporations United to Control the Net

[Michel Bauwens]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: La Quadrature du Net <jz at laquadrature.net>
Date: Tue, May 24, 2011 at 2:49 PM
Subject: [opennetcoalition] “eG8 forum”: Governments and Corporations United
to Control the Net
To: opennetcoalition at laquadrature.net


La Quadrature du Net - For immediate release

Permanent link:
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/eg8-forum-governments-and-corporations-united-to-control-the-net


“eG8 forum”: Governments and Corporations United to Control the Net



*** Paris, May 24th, 2011 – The “eG8 forum” is a smokescreen behind which
hides an alarming alliance of governments attempting to control the Internet
and a few corporations making profits from restricting online freedoms [1].
***

Governmental attempts to control the Internet are multiplying in all
geographical areas: the US Governments' reaction to Wikileaks and takedowns
of domain names in the name of copyright; the Egyptian black-out of the Net;
censorship of web content happening all over Europe; the talks of creating a
“Great European firewall”, the ACTA agreement turning Internet service
providers into a private copyright police, etc.

At the same time, giant companies are increasingly developping business
models based on restricting fundamental freedoms: Networks equipment vendors
who sell the hardware that allow repressive regime across the world to
censor their citizens' online communications; telecoms operators who try to
take revenge on the universal Internet by attacking network neutrality;
massive centralized online services that collect, agregate, sell and leak
personnal data; entertainment industries who stubbornly fight the sharing of
culture between individuals to force them into passive consumption.

“Governments seem to have given up protecting citizens' rights against
corporations engaging in noxious business. They have entered an alliance
with some of these companies, united in the fear of the new capabilities
afforded to individuals by the Internet and computers. The eG8 stages a show
where a government living outside of the Internet civilization hopes to
appear connected to it by being seen on photographs and TV with a few
sectoral business leaders. It would only be pathetic if it wasn't the
smokescreen for dangerous threats on citizens' freedoms and attempts to take
over our beloved universal online space.” declares Jérémie Zimmermann,
co-founder and spokesperson for the citizen organization La Quadrature du
Net.



* Références *

1. Every plenary and workshop at the “eG8 forum” is mostly filled with the
event's corporate sponsors or officials from the French Government. The few
folding chairs, hastily added for a few members of “the civil society”, will
not fool anyone.



** About la Quadrature du Net **


La Quadrature du Net is an advocacy group that promotes the rights and
freedoms of citizens on the Internet. More specifically, it advocates for
the adaptation of French and European legislations to respect the founding
principles of the Internet, most notably the free circulation of knowledge.

In addition to its advocacy work, the group also aims to foster a better
understanding of legislative processes among citizens. Through specific and
pertinent information and tools, La Quadrature du Net hopes to encourage
citizens' participation in the public debate on rights and freedoms in the
digital age.

La Quadrature du Net is supported by French, European and international NGOs
including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Open Society Institute and
Privacy International.

List of supporting organisations :
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/they-support-squaring-net-la-quadrature-du-net


** Press contact and press room **

Jérémie Zimmermann, jz at laquadrature.net, +33 (0)615 940 675

http://www.laquadrature.net/en/press-room



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