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Pervaisve surveillance in France ?
by Philippe Aigrain Dec. 10, 2013

Dec. 10, 2013

Thanks to a kind effort by Lillian Hueber, my post on the current process in the French Parliament on the Loi de programmation militaire is now available in English : http://paigrain.debatpublic.net/?p=8476&lang=en My next piece (of today) on the same subject Surveillance généralisée ou sursaut démocratique ? is here http://paigrain.debatpublic.net/?p=8461 and will soon be also available in English. Best, Philippe

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President Obama calls on every American to learn code
by Barbara Demo Dec. 10, 2013

Dec. 10, 2013

Ciao a tutti, come qualcuno già sa questa settimana è la Computer Science Education Week 2013. Una delle iniziative è la "1 hour of code" di cui esiste anche una versione europea. Il dipartimento di Informatica di Unito organizza un evento di orientamento e continua la diffusione della programmazione e non soltanto tra insegnanti dalle primarie alle superiori con il progetto T4T http://t4t.di.unito.it/ Barak Obama è sostenitore acceso della "1 hour of code" come si vede, per esempio, qui:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XvmhE1J9PY&feature=youtu.be <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XvmhE1J9PY&feature=youtu.be> Fortissimo. Cordiali saluti, Barbara

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Berkman Center Webcast live oggi ore 18.30 - Permission Taken
by Giuseppe Futia Dec. 10, 2013

Dec. 10, 2013

Permission Taken http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2013/03/gillmor *Dan Gillmor, founding director of the Knight Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship* Today, 6.30 pm Webcast live: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/interactive/webcast http://nexa.polito.it/berkman-webcast-live Once, personal technology and the Internet meant that we didn't need permission to compute, communicate and innovate. Now, governments and tech companies are systematically restricting our liberties, and creating an online surveillance state. In many cases, however, we're letting it happen, by trading freedom for convenience and (often the illusion of) security. Yes, we need better laws and regulations. But what steps can we take as individuals to be more secure and free -- to take back the permissions we're losing? About Dan Dan Gillmor teaches digital media entrepreneurship and is a founding director of the Knight Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication <http://cronkite.asu.edu/>. The Center, originally funded by the Knight Foundation <http://knightfoundation.org/> and Kauffman Foundation <http://kauffman.org/>, is working to help create a culture of innovation and risk-taking in journalism education, and in the wider media world. Dan is currently working on a new book and web project, tentatively entitled Permission Taken, about the increasing control that companies and governments are exerting over the way we use technology and communicate, and how we can take back some of that control. He has posted an outline here <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vCAKdIPxgda5ZfjKZs-Hg0CAOmm3k_w90TDds1C…>.

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EFF: "UPDATE: Encrypt the Web Report: Who's Doing What"
by J.C. DE MARTIN Dec. 10, 2013

Dec. 10, 2013

DECEMBER 5, 2013 | BY KURT OPSAHL AND NATE CARDOZO AND PARKER HIGGINS *UPDATE: Encrypt the Web Report: Who's Doing What* We've asked the companies in our Who Has Your Back Program what they are doing to bolster encryption in light of the NSA's unlawful surveillance of your communications. We're pleased to see that four companies---Dropbox, Google, SpiderOak and Sonic.net---are implementing five out of five of our best practices for encryption. In addition, we appreciate that Yahoo! just announced several measures it plans to take to increase encryption, including the very critical encryption of data center links, and that Twitter has confirmed that it has encryption of data center links in progress. See the infographic. By adopting these practices, described below, these service providers have taken a critical step towards protecting their users from warrantless seizure of their information off of fiber-optic cables. By enabling encryption across their networks, service providers can make backdoor surveillance more challenging, requiring the government to go to courts and use legal process. While Lavabit's travails have shown how difficult that can be for service providers, at least there was the opportunity to fight back in court. While not every company in our survey has implemented every recommendation, each step taken helps, and we appreciate those who have worked to strengthen their security. We hope that every online service provider adopts these best practices and continues to work to protect their networks and their users. [...] Continua qui: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/11/encrypt-web-report-whos-doing-what

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Call for Applications Joint International Doctoral Degree in Law, Science and Technology (deadline: 21 gennaio 2014)
by J.C. DE MARTIN Dec. 9, 2013

Dec. 9, 2013

*Joint International Doctoral Degree in Law, Science and Technology (LAST.JD) * (28/10/2013 - 00:10) Nell'ambito delle opportunità offerte dalla Comunità Europea, l'Università di Torino, in consorzio con altri cinque Atenei (Università di Bologna, CIRSFID (coordinator), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (IDT) - Spagna, Mykolas Romeris University, e-Business Center -- Lituania, University of Luxembourg -- Lussemburgo, University of Tilburg, Paesi Bassi), ha ottenuto un finanziamento per la realizzazione del "Joint International Doctoral Degree in Law, Science and Technology (LAST.JD)". Il progetto è innovativo per la peculiarità dei contenuti fortemente integrati tra discipline giuridiche, etico-sociali e nuove tecnologie. I dottorandi coinvolti sono selezionati da una commissione interdisciplinare appositamente istituita. La Call for Applications 2014/2015 è aperta e scade il 21 gennaio 2014. Per informazioni: www.last-jd.eu oppure www.dott-sus.unito.it

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Legal basis for generalized surveillance in France
by Philippe Aigrain Dec. 9, 2013

Dec. 9, 2013

Dear all, I have been too busy to keep you posted before this morning, but an epic fight is taking place in France around provisions that were injected in the Loi de programmation militaire and that would create a legal basis for a real-time, administratively ordered, generalized to all information and documents, to hosting as well as to access services, non-judiciary, open finality including "economic and scientific potential of France". Civil society was slow in spotting and reacting this extreme danger, but is catching back. The press has now extensive coverage of the issue. Yesterday evening an interview by the French "digital champion" Gilles Babinet declaring that "this is law is the most offensive attack on democracy since exception courts during the Algerian war" and my post "Les parlementaires vont-ils consentir à la démocrature ?" were compering in Internet buzzing with the announcement that Hollande and Sarkozy will go together to Mandela's funeral. The governement is rushing the legislative process, using the urgency of adoption of the rest of the law (on which the continued budget of the military rests) to force the surveillance part. Any contribution to our fight from the French-connnected subscribers to this list will be appreciated. I take the freedom to use the list in this manner because I doubt that anybody on it could desire the adoption in a European country (or any other) of such provisions. Best, Philippe

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Stiglitz scrive ai negoziatori TPP
by J.C. DE MARTIN Dec. 7, 2013

Dec. 7, 2013

URL (PDF): http://t.co/VBOUkuCEIT December 6, 2013 Dear TPP negotiators, As trade negotiators, you are being asked to resolve a large number of important issues that have divided Parties in the negotiations for a Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. The decision to make the negotiating text secret from the public (even though the details are accessible to hundreds of advisors to big corporations) makes it difficult for the public to offer informed commentary. But the recent publication of the negotiating text for the intellectual property rights chapter by Wikileaks, and an earlier leak of the investor state dispute resolution proposals, as well as numerous reports in the business press, make it clear that the agreement presents grave risks on all sorts of topics. As regards the provisions on intellectual property, negotiators should resist text that would, among other things: * ? weaken the 2001 Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health * ? mandate extensions of patents terms * ? mandate lower standards for granting patents on medicines * ? mandate granting patents on surgical procedures, * ? mandate monopolies of 12 years on test data for biologic drugs * ? narrow the grounds for granting compulsory license on patents, * ? increase damages for infringements of patents and copyrights, * ? reduce space for exceptions as regards limits on injunctions, and * ? narrow copyright exceptions * ? requiring life+ 70 years of copyright protection, * ? mandate excessive enforcement measures for digital information, and * ? otherwise restrict access to knowledge. At this point in time, we do not need a TRIPS plus trade agreement, we need a TRIPS minus agreement. The TPP proposes to freeze into a binding trade agreement many of the worst features of the worst laws in the TPP countries, making needed reforms extremely difficult if not impossible. Columbia University Uris Hall 3022 Broadway, Room 814 New York, NY 10027-6902 T. 212 854 0671 F. 212 662 8474 Jes322(a)columbia.edu Joseph E. Stiglitz University Professor Finance and Economics www.josephstiglitz.com The investor state dispute resolution mechanisms should not be shrouded in mystery to the general public, while the same provisions are routinely discussed with advisors to big corporations. Sincerely, Joseph Stiglitz University Professor

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Human Choice and Computer Conference, Turku, Finland, 30JUL-1AUG 2014
by Norberto Patrignani Dec. 6, 2013

Dec. 6, 2013

Carissim*, segnalo la call for paper --- The 11th IFIP TC9 Human Choice and Computers Conference - HCC 11 July 30th - August 1st, 2014, Turku, Finland ICT and Society http://www.hcc11.net/ --- un caro saluto Norberto

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How the NSA is tracking people right now
by gianluca Dec. 5, 2013

Dec. 5, 2013

How the NSA is tracking people right now Documents obtained by The Washington Postindicate that the National Security Agency iscollecting billions of records a day to track thelocation of mobile phone users around the world.This bulk collection, performed under the NSA'sinternational surveillance authority,taps into the telephony links of majortelecommunications providers including somehere in the United States. continua qui http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/national/how-the-nsa-is-tracking-peop…

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Felice Casson e Gianni Cuperlo intervengono su Agcom e diritto d'autore
by Fulvio Sarzana Dec. 5, 2013

Dec. 5, 2013

Casson: Un ddl per diritto d'autore, Agcom sospenda iter regolamento "Il Parlamento si modifichi la normativa sul diritto d'autore sulla Rete e l'Agcom sospenda l'iter del suo regolamento in materia". A chiederlo è il sen. Felice Casson, vicepresidente della commissione Giustizia e primo firmatario di un ddl in materia sottoscritto da altri 9 senatori del Pd. "Appare ormai urgente e necessario - spiega - modificare la disciplina vigente, contemperando adeguatamente i diritti degli autori ed editori con i diritti di libertà degli utenti della rete che non svolgano attività lucrativa, al fine di cogliere appieno le opportunità del digitale e restituire così al mercato un settore delleconomia come quello dellinnovazione e della conoscenza, che può fare dellItalia un caso di eccellenza nel panorama europeo". "In particolare - aggiunge - occorre circoscrivere in maniera chiara le violazioni del diritto dautore che avvengono sul web, limitando la repressione solo ai fatti che mettono in pericolo il legittimo sfruttamento del diritto dautore, con esclusione delle attività meramente non lucrative. In secondo luogo, bisogna perseguire più duramente le violazioni relative alla attività di pirateria sul web, attraverso lidentificazione dei soggetti che realmente realizzano i profitti legati alla pirateria, adottando lo standard internazionale del cd follow the money. E in terzo luogo, è necessario liberare il più possibile gli usi delle opere tutelate dal diritto dautore per finalità di didattica, ricerca scientifica, critica e discussione e riconoscere e promuovere i diritti dei consumatori di opere protette da diritto dautore anche e soprattutto nel contesto digitale, al fine di renderli soggetti attivi nel mercato dei contenuti online". "E' bene chiarire - sottolinea - che il testo, discusso con le associazioni provenienti dal mondo del consumo, delle imprese e per la tutela dei diritti civili, è volto a tutelare le libertà fondamentali delle e nella Rete, senza mettere in discussione la necessità di remunerare il lavoro intellettuale. L'era digitale impone infatti di aggiornare una normativa che appartiene ad una stagione superata". "Per questo - conclude Casson - Sarebbe opportuno che l'Agcom sospendesse l'iter del suo regolamento in materia. Le più ampie prerogative del legislatore consentiranno infatti di adottare una riforma del diritto dautore armonica ed equa, che tratti quindi entrambi gli aspetti relativi allenforcement e alla promozione del mercato legale, senza dimenticare in primis di precisare, dettagliare, riconoscere e promuovere i diritti dei consumatori nel nuovo contesto digitale, perchè altrimenti parlare di sviluppo del mercato legale dei contenuti risulterebbe veramente velleitario se non ingannevole". See more at: http://www.senatoripd.it/doc/3420/casson-un-ddl-per-diritto-dautore-agcom-so spenda-iter-regolamento.htm#sthash.nkn3ptXT.dpuf Gianni Cuperlo: L AGCOM è nata per garantire i diritto costituzionali dei cittadini ma è fortemente deficitaria nella tutela del pluralismo sia in periodo elettorale che fuori da questo periodo. Non solo le regole sul copyright (lAgcom ha assunto in questi mesi una posizione limitativa della libertà della rete fortemente criticata), ma anche sulla net neutrality, sul ruolo e le forme di responsabilità dei provider, sulle garanzie di accesso ad internet. http://www.agenparl.it/articoli/news/politica/20131205-ra-cuperlo-azienda-de ve-restare-pubblica --- Questa e-mail è priva di virus e malware perché è attiva la protezione avast! Antivirus. http://www.avast.com

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