Comments on: Rightscon: a human rights/technology conference in Silicon Valley http://boingboing.net/2011/10/22/rightscon-a-human-rightstechnology-conference-in-silicon-valley.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Tue, 21 May 2013 06:21:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Manydocs http://boingboing.net/2011/10/22/rightscon-a-human-rightstechnology-conference-in-silicon-valley.html#comment-1250423 Manydocs Sun, 23 Oct 2011 02:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125232#comment-1250423 A look at the conference site failed to find any reference to identity management, in general, and biometrics, in particular. Identity management, implemented properly, would reduce the claimed need for the attacks upon dignity and privacy that we see at airports and public buildings. Identity management if implemented in a police state or corporate state fashion, will severely diminish liberty and privacy.  Does anyone know how and to what extent the conference will touch on this subject? If not, they are dropping the ball, big time. A look at the conference site failed to find any reference to identity management, in general, and biometrics, in particular. Identity management, implemented properly, would reduce the claimed need for the attacks upon dignity and privacy that we see at airports and public buildings. Identity management if implemented in a police state or corporate state fashion, will severely diminish liberty and privacy. 

Does anyone know how and to what extent the conference will touch on this subject? If not, they are dropping the ball, big time.

]]> By: atimoshenko http://boingboing.net/2011/10/22/rightscon-a-human-rightstechnology-conference-in-silicon-valley.html#comment-1250109 atimoshenko Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125232#comment-1250109 Rights abuses happen whenever there are capability asymmetries. Whenever one group or individual has more access to/or control over pretty much any 'thing' one can think of, that group or individual will eventually become abusive. Technology to me seems double-edged in this regard. From one side it tends to be democratising, giving capabilities to people who were previously too 'small' to have them. From the other side, the winner-take-all nature of a lot of technology leads to huge tech companies that *will* eventually act 'evil-ly' provided they keep their dominance for long enough. As for specific monitoring technologies such as deep packet inspection, the biggest thing to watch for is that access to them is not restricted to an elite few. I'm fine with the FBI deeply inspecting my packets, provided I get detailed notifications every time they do it and I can deeply inspect their packets back. Symmetric capability distribution allows for crowd-sourced policing of abuses. Rights abuses happen whenever there are capability asymmetries. Whenever one group or individual has more access to/or control over pretty much any ‘thing’ one can think of, that group or individual will eventually become abusive. Technology to me seems double-edged in this regard. From one side it tends to be democratising, giving capabilities to people who were previously too ‘small’ to have them. From the other side, the winner-take-all nature of a lot of technology leads to huge tech companies that *will* eventually act ‘evil-ly’ provided they keep their dominance for long enough.

As for specific monitoring technologies such as deep packet inspection, the biggest thing to watch for is that access to them is not restricted to an elite few. I’m fine with the FBI deeply inspecting my packets, provided I get detailed notifications every time they do it and I can deeply inspect their packets back. Symmetric capability distribution allows for crowd-sourced policing of abuses.

]]> By: phisrow http://boingboing.net/2011/10/22/rightscon-a-human-rightstechnology-conference-in-silicon-valley.html#comment-1250103 phisrow Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125232#comment-1250103 You wouldn't pay Cisco or Narus' prices for oppression gear if you had the indigenous capability, especially in the case of China, where they would probably rather be buying Huawei... You wouldn’t pay Cisco or Narus’ prices for oppression gear if you had the indigenous capability, especially in the case of China, where they would probably rather be buying Huawei…

]]> By: Tynam http://boingboing.net/2011/10/22/rightscon-a-human-rightstechnology-conference-in-silicon-valley.html#comment-1250096 Tynam Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125232#comment-1250096 Jason: A laudable but utterly naive thought. We have no ability to 'control' China - the options for Cisco are "be a willing partner in brutal oppression" or "don't, and make less money". You are, of course, correct that they will find a way to oppress their population with or without our help. But that's <i>not</i> an excuse for helping. The way they'd have found by themselves <i>isn't as effective</i>, or they wouldn't be paying Cisco so much to build a better one. Jason: A laudable but utterly naive thought. We have no ability to ‘control’ China – the options for Cisco are “be a willing partner in brutal oppression” or “don’t, and make less money”.

You are, of course, correct that they will find a way to oppress their population with or without our help. But that’s not an excuse for helping. The way they’d have found by themselves isn’t as effective, or they wouldn’t be paying Cisco so much to build a better one.

]]> By: ridestowe http://boingboing.net/2011/10/22/rightscon-a-human-rightstechnology-conference-in-silicon-valley.html#comment-1250089 ridestowe Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125232#comment-1250089 the perfect location for a riot the perfect location for a riot

]]> By: Jason Stone http://boingboing.net/2011/10/22/rightscon-a-human-rightstechnology-conference-in-silicon-valley.html#comment-1250085 Jason Stone Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125232#comment-1250085 I realize that this topic is extremely important either way, but, is it possible that US companies providing hostile regimes with technology might help us monitor and control those regimes? Wouldn't they find a way to oppress their populations with or without our help? That being said, this conference looks rad! I wish I could be there! I realize that this topic is extremely important either way, but, is it possible that US companies providing hostile regimes with technology might help us monitor and control those regimes? Wouldn’t they find a way to oppress their populations with or without our help?

That being said, this conference looks rad! I wish I could be there!

]]> By: phisrow http://boingboing.net/2011/10/22/rightscon-a-human-rightstechnology-conference-in-silicon-valley.html#comment-1250080 phisrow Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125232#comment-1250080 Hey, how is it Narus' or Cisco's fault that they had a scheduling conflict between RightsCon and their pre-existing speaking engagement at PanoptiCon? Hey, how is it Narus’ or Cisco’s fault that they had a scheduling conflict between RightsCon and their pre-existing speaking engagement at PanoptiCon?

]]>