StrypeyApr 22, 2019

@alexl
> There is no point in fighting for (digital) rights in the EU

This is measurably wrong. The #GDPR is already resulting in practical changes in the use of user data by commercial entites, not only in the EU, but across the whole internet. There are rules about #DataPortability that haven't even been tested yet. If user protection rules that were similar (or stronger) were passed in other jurisdictions, or even better in an international treaty, that would be a huge win for users.
@bob

Show threadBob Mottram 🔧 ☕ ✅Apr 22, 2019
@strypey @alexl I think we should fight for digital rights within the EU when it's possible, although I am sympathetic towards the "Oh god, more centralized garbage. Can't we push this entire thing into the ocean?" approach.

GDPR is a bit of a mixed bag and I see a whole lot of faux compliance, but things in that style which are proactively trying to defend what tiny glimmers of freedom remain would be ok. Most new internet legislation has been coming from the usual offenders on the copyright vulture vortex and anything which *isn't* that might be an improvement.

But lobbying giant bureaucracies is seriously difficult and requires actual Capital - something which most of us don't have. Also we shouldn't be under any illusions that politicians are rational utility maximizers operating on the basis of evidence. To even hope to play in that space means adopting the same tactics of truthy narratives and buzzwords even if they don't have a lot of grounding in reality.
Show threadStrypey

@bob
> I am sympathetic towards the "Oh god, more centralized garbage. Can't we push this entire thing into the ocean?" approach.

Yeah me too ;) But sadly, after more than 20 years of trying, the answer appears to be "no". We have to engage with the existing hubs of power, even if only as a holding action to stop them being used to concentrate even more power, while we work on building out decentralized replacements. (1/2)
@alexl

Apr 22, 2019 at 5:51pmWeb
Show threadStrypeyApr 22, 2019
As a specific example, there's a fascinating discussion going on in the #PrivacyTools.io GH issues about to what degree #PTIO ought to engage with the #DataFarms. I've dealt with the same strategic questions many times in other projects like #CC and the #NZ #PirateParty. We want to model best practice (use #FreeCode, federated systems etc) but there's no point preaching to the choir. The people we need to reach are the ones most engaged with the existing, centralized systems. (2/2)
@bob @alexl