[ga] Re: PFIR Conference Announcement: "Preventing the Internet Meltdown"
Lauren and all,
I am sure many of our [ INEGroup] members will be attending.
A new "Atlarge group is also forming up in my home state of Texas
See:http://atlargetexas.org/ipw-web/bulletin/bb/index.php
PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility wrote:
> PFIR Conference Announcement
>
> "Preventing the Internet Meltdown"
> Spring/Summer 2004
> Los Angeles, California, USA
>
> ---------------------------------
>
> March 6, 2004
>
> PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
>
> [ To subscribe or unsubscribe to/from this list, please send the
> command "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" respectively (without the
> quotes) in the body of an e-mail to "pfir-request@xxxxxxxx". ]
>
> ==================================
>
> --- Please Distribute Widely ---
>
> PFIR Conference Announcement
>
> "Preventing the Internet Meltdown"
> Spring/Summer 2004
> Los Angeles, California, USA
>
> http://www.pfir.org/meltdown
>
> People For Internet Responsibility (PFIR) is pleased to preliminarily
> announce an "emergency" conference aimed at preventing the "meltdown" of the
> Internet -- the risks of imminent disruption, degradation, unfair
> manipulation, and other negative impacts on critical Internet services and
> systems in ways that will have a profound impact on the Net and its users
> around the world.
>
> We are planning for this conference (lasting two or three days) to take
> place as soon as possible, ideally as early as this coming June, with all
> sessions and working groups at a hotel in convenient proximity to Los
> Angeles International Airport (LAX).
>
> A continuing and rapidly escalating series of alarming events suggest that
> immediate cooperative, specific planning is necessary if we are to have
> any chance of avoiding the meltdown. "Red flag" warning signs are many.
> A merely partial list includes attempts to manipulate key network
> infrastructures such as the domain name system; lawsuits over Internet
> regulatory issues (e.g. VeriSign and domain registrars vs. ICANN); serious
> issues of privacy and security; and ever-increasing spam, virus, and related
> problems, along with largely ad hoc or non-coordinated "anti-spam" systems
> that may do more harm than good and may cause serious collateral damage.
>
> All facets of Internet users and a vast range of critical applications are
> at risk from the meltdown. Commercial firms, schools, nonprofit and
> governmental organizations, home users, and everybody else around the world
> whose lives are touched in some way by the Internet (and that's practically
> everyone) are likely to be seriously and negatively impacted.
>
> Most of these problems are either directly or indirectly the result of the
> Internet's lack of responsible and fair planning related to Internet
> operations and oversight. A perceived historical desire for a "hands off"
> attitude regarding Internet "governance" has now resulted not only in
> commercial abuses, and the specter of lawsuits and courts dictating key
> technical issues relating to the Net, but has also invited unilateral
> actions by organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and International
> Telecommunications Union (ITU) that could profoundly affect the Internet and
> its users in unpredictable ways.
>
> Representatives from commercial firms, educational institutions,
> governmental entities, nonprofit and other organizations, and any other
> interested parties are invited to participate at this conference.
> International participation is most definitely encouraged.
>
> The ultimate goal of the conference is to establish a set of *specific*
> actions and contingency plans for the Internet-related problems that could
> lead to the meltdown. These may include (but are not limited to) technical,
> governance, regulatory, political, and legal actions and plans. Scenarios to
> consider may also include more "radical" technical approaches such as
> "alternate root" domain systems, technologies to bypass unreasonable
> ISP restrictions, and a wide range of other practical possibilities.
>
> It is anticipated that the conference will include a variety of panels
> focused on illuminating specific aspects of these problems, along with
> potential reactions, solutions, and contingency planning for worst-case
> scenarios. Breakout working groups will be available for detailed
> discussion and planning efforts. Formal papers will not be required, but
> panel members may be asked to submit brief abstracts of prepared remarks in
> advance to assist in organizing the sessions.
>
> The ability of this conference to take place, and necessary conference
> details such as the specific program, costs, etc. will depend largely on the
> response to this announcement and particularly on the number of persons and
> organizations who express a potential interest in attending.
>
> If you may be interested in participating (no obligation at this point, of
> course) or have any questions, please send an e-mail as soon as possible to:
>
> meltdown@xxxxxxxx
>
> or feel free to contact Lauren at the phone number below. As appropriate,
> please be sure to mention how many people from your organization may be
> interested in attending. If you express an interest in attending, you will
> be added to a private mailing list for upcoming announcements regarding this
> conference unless you ask not to be so notified.
>
> Together, we may be able to stop the Internet meltdown.
> But we need to act now.
>
> Thank you for your consideration.
>
> - - -
>
> Lauren Weinstein
> lauren@xxxxxxxx or lauren@xxxxxxxxxx or lauren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
> Co-Founder, PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
> Co-Founder, Fact Squad - http://www.factsquad.org
> Co-Founder, URIICA - Union for Representative International Internet
> Cooperation and Analysis - http://www.uriica.org
> Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
> Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
> http://www.pfir.org/lauren
>
> Peter G. Neumann
> neumann@xxxxxxxx or neumann@xxxxxxxxxxx or neumann@xxxxxxxxx
> Tel: +1 (650) 859-2375
> Co-Founder, PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
> Co-Founder, Fact Squad - http://www.factsquad.org
> Co-Founder, URIICA - Union for Representative International Internet
> Cooperation and Analysis - http://www.uriica.org
> Moderator, RISKS Forum - http://risks.org
> Chairman, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
> http://www.csl.sri.com/neumann
>
> David J. Farber
> dave@xxxxxxxxxx
> Tel: +1 (412) 726-9889
> Distinguished Career Professor of Computer Science and Public Policy,
> Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science
> Member of the Board of Trustees EFF - http://www.eff.org
> Member of the Advisory Board -- EPIC - http://www.epic.org
> Member of the Advisory Board -- CDT - http://www.cdt.org
> Member of Board of Directors -- PFIR - http://www.pfir.org
> Co-Founder, URIICA - Union for Representative International Internet
> Cooperation and Analysis - http://www.uriica.org
> Member of the Executive Committee USACM
> http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~farber
>
> (Affiliations shown for identification only.)
Regards,
--
Jeffrey A. Williams
Spokesman for INEGroup LLA. - (Over 134k members/stakeholders strong!)
"Be precise in the use of words and expect precision from others" -
Pierre Abelard
"If the probability be called P; the injury, L; and the burden, B;
liability depends upon whether B is less than L multiplied by
P: i.e., whether B is less than PL."
United States v. Carroll Towing (159 F.2d 169 [2d Cir. 1947]
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