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In June, the OECD had a Ministerial Conference on the Future of the Internet Economy. They published a report which is intended to help countries shape policies concerning the Internet economy. The themes that are addressed are the following:

• Making Internet access available to everyone and everywhere.
• Promoting Internet-based innovation, competition and user choice.
• Securing critical information infrastructures and responding to new threats.
• Ensuring the protection of personal information, respect for intellectual property rights, and more generally a trusted Internet-based environment which offers protection to individuals, especially minors and other vulnerable groups.
• Promoting secure and responsible use of the Internet; and,
• Creating an environment that encourages infrastructure investment, higher levels of connectivity and innovative services and applications.

There were some positive policy suggestions that were made, such as:

• Promote a culture of openness and sharing of research data among public research communities.
• Raise awareness of the potential costs and benefits of restrictions and limitations on access to and sharing of research data from public funding.

The OECD Civil Society Forum, comprised of the OECD Civil Society Reference Group and the The Trade Union Advisory Committee, produced a paper (and their own conference) intended to bring to the attention of the OECD Ministers assembled and the OECD member countries the concerns of those not represented at the Ministerial conference.

Their paper highlights the following:

The policy goals for the Future Internet Economy should be considered within the broader framework of protection of human rights, the promotion of democratic institutions, access to information, and the provision of affordable and non-discriminatory access to advanced communication networks and services.

Their recommendations cover

• Freedom of expression
• Protection of Privacy and Transparency
• Consumer Protection
• Promotion of Access to Knowledge
• Internet Governance
• Promotion of Open Standards and Net Neutrality
• Balanced Intellectual Property Policies
• Support for Pluralistic Media

CBC’s radio show Search Engine is the most downloaded show on the CBC website in the News and Current Affairs section. It has won awards in the US and has a large following on Facebook and on their own website. It’s covered issues like Net Neutrality and Copyright, with the last show covering an interview with Minister of Industry Jim Prentice on Bill C-61.

What does the CBC do in the face of such success?

They cancel the show.

A blogger in Calgary has great ideas on how to make sure this show stays alive. Here’s a great quote from his blog:

(…)canceling CBC Search Engine is like extinguishing a bright torch in our digital democracy. If we want Canadians to stay informed and be engaged in well-reasoned debate, we can’t afford to see shows like Search Engine, an intensely focused source of information, be canceled.

He suggests calling CBC Audience Relations at 1-866-306-4636 to tell them what Search Engine means to you. Ask the operate to enter your comments into the system for the record. You could also write the CBC. I also think that someone absolutely needs to create a Facebook group. Please join the Facebook group or write a petition! Possible people to write to include Richard Stursberg, Executive Vice-President of English Services (Richard.Stursberg@cbc.ca) or Susan Mitton, Executive director of CBC English Radio, (Susan.Mitton@cbc.ca)

Please help save Search Engine!

In April 2008, Library Juice Press published a collection of essays entitled “Questioning Library Neutrality: Essays from Progressive Librarian.” Jeff Lilburn has written a great review for the book for LibrarianActivist. Here’s a quote from the review:

The debate over neutrality in librarianship is one that has been ongoing for many decades and the essays collected here represent an important part of that debate. Lewis’ volume deserves to be required reading in all LIS programs.

Jeff Lilburn is a Public Services Librarian at Mount Allison University and has been interested in library neutrality for some time now. He has written on the topic in both the Feliciter and Progressive Librarian.

Charlie Angus (NDP MP) has presented a private member’s bill on Net Neutrality. Bill C-552 is actually an amendment to the Telecommunications Act.

This enactment amends the Telecommunications Act to prohibit network operators from engaging in network management practices that favour, degrade or prioritize any content, application or service transmitted over a broadband network based on its source, ownership or destination, subject to certain exceptions. This enactment also prohibits network operators from preventing a user from attaching any device to their network and requires network operators to make information about the user’s access to the Internet available to the user.

The CBC writes that the Liberals have not yet given indication that they will support the Bill, preferring to let the CRTC intervene in cases of Net Neutrality infractions.

Line 36.2a in the Bill says network managers will still have the right “manage the flow of network traffic in a reasonable manner in order to relieve congestion;”. I’m not a legal expert, but what does “reasonable manner” mean. How will ISPs interpret that. Hopefully the CRTC will address this when it looks at the Bell throttling case.

From 11h30 to 13h30 today, there will be a Net Neutrality Rally on Parliament Hill. (See CBC article). There will be some great speakers, like Charlie Angus (NDP MP) and Phillipa Lawson (CIPPIC). Ottawa-Gatineau WiFi will be providing roaming WiFi, so hopefully we’ll get some live bloggers?

To keep up to date on Net Neutrality info, Michael Geist has been writing a great blog on Neutrality.ca. Also consider joining the SaveOurNet coalition.