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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Why did an MPAA executive join the Internet Society? | Why did an MPAA executive join the Internet Society? |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Late in March, I started to get a steady stream of emails from concerned readers: did you see that the Internet Society has appointed the former chief technology officer of the MPAA to be their North American regional director? | Late in March, I started to get a steady stream of emails from concerned readers: did you see that the Internet Society has appointed the former chief technology officer of the MPAA to be their North American regional director? |
| I was as alarmed as they were. The Internet Society – ISOC – is an international nonprofit organisation whose mission is "to assure the open development, evolution and use of the internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world". More concretely, ISOC is also in charge of the .ORG registry, through its subsidiary, the Public Interest Registry. | I was as alarmed as they were. The Internet Society – ISOC – is an international nonprofit organisation whose mission is "to assure the open development, evolution and use of the internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world". More concretely, ISOC is also in charge of the .ORG registry, through its subsidiary, the Public Interest Registry. |
| .ORG holds a special place in the heart of internet activists. In the early days of the internet, there were only three generic top-level domains (gTLDs): .ORG, .NET, and .COM, and even though other gTLDs have been created since (like .INFO), these three are the most recognisably legitimate, credible domains in the world. | .ORG holds a special place in the heart of internet activists. In the early days of the internet, there were only three generic top-level domains (gTLDs): .ORG, .NET, and .COM, and even though other gTLDs have been created since (like .INFO), these three are the most recognisably legitimate, credible domains in the world. |
| But .NET and .COM aren't what they once were. The past year has seen a series of sloppy, high-profile domain seizures from .NET and .COM. There were extrajudicial, cloak-and-dagger operations run by the Obama administration's customs enforcers, acting on flimsy tips from junior employees at the big entertainment lobbies. Domains like dajaz1.com disappeared into Kafkaesque legal grey zones of secret evidence and hidden processes. Worse still was the seizure of the mooo.com domain, which was replaced with a stern warning saying the website that had once lived at that name had been a haven of child pornography (it wasn't – it had been home to 84,000 perfectly normal, harmless websites, all of whose owners were tarred by the accusation). And who can forget JotForm's seizure, another baseless, erroneous confiscation that made headlines in the middle of the fight over the proposed US Stop Online Piracy Act, as a precusor to what life might be like under that regime. | But .NET and .COM aren't what they once were. The past year has seen a series of sloppy, high-profile domain seizures from .NET and .COM. There were extrajudicial, cloak-and-dagger operations run by the Obama administration's customs enforcers, acting on flimsy tips from junior employees at the big entertainment lobbies. Domains like dajaz1.com disappeared into Kafkaesque legal grey zones of secret evidence and hidden processes. Worse still was the seizure of the mooo.com domain, which was replaced with a stern warning saying the website that had once lived at that name had been a haven of child pornography (it wasn't – it had been home to 84,000 perfectly normal, harmless websites, all of whose owners were tarred by the accusation). And who can forget JotForm's seizure, another baseless, erroneous confiscation that made headlines in the middle of the fight over the proposed US Stop Online Piracy Act, as a precusor to what life might be like under that regime. |
| Tellingly, none of the seizures came from .ORG-space. .NET and .COM are managed by Verisign, a US firm with a history of playing nice with US law enforcement and administrative agencies, even when those agencies and officers are acting outside the law. But ISOC has an admirable history of standing its ground and demanding warrants, judicial orders and all the other formalities attending a society governed by the rule of law. | Tellingly, none of the seizures came from .ORG-space. .NET and .COM are managed by Verisign, a US firm with a history of playing nice with US law enforcement and administrative agencies, even when those agencies and officers are acting outside the law. But ISOC has an admirable history of standing its ground and demanding warrants, judicial orders and all the other formalities attending a society governed by the rule of law. |
| SOPA's advocates viewed extrajudicial domain seizure without due process or the presumption of innocence as key to an effective copyright enforcement strategy. The now discredited law was filled with ways that you could lose your domain, from the "market based" approach of directly allowing rightsholder groups to order their seizure to a simplified process for sympathetic government agencies to effect seizures. | SOPA's advocates viewed extrajudicial domain seizure without due process or the presumption of innocence as key to an effective copyright enforcement strategy. The now discredited law was filled with ways that you could lose your domain, from the "market based" approach of directly allowing rightsholder groups to order their seizure to a simplified process for sympathetic government agencies to effect seizures. |
| There was even a provision for allowing domain registrars to pre-emptively seize domains from themselves without first receiving a complaint, and without having to worry about being sued for damages if it turned out they'd been wrong. | There was even a provision for allowing domain registrars to pre-emptively seize domains from themselves without first receiving a complaint, and without having to worry about being sued for damages if it turned out they'd been wrong. |
| Paul Brigner was chief technical officer of the Motion Picture Association of America during the SOPA debacle. During his one-year tenure with the MPAA, he made a handful of blog posts to the organisation's website, defending SOPA generally, and specifically pooh-poohing the idea that SOPA would have a negative impact on the overall security of the internet. This was the hottest hot potato during the SOPA fight, as eminent computer scientists and security experts argued that the law's provision against tools that made it possible to defeat domain name blocks would kill work on projects like DNSSEC, a technology that counters the domain hijacking techniques employed by identity thieves and other fraudsters, as well as totalitarian governments who want to block access to foreign news sites. | Paul Brigner was chief technical officer of the Motion Picture Association of America during the SOPA debacle. During his one-year tenure with the MPAA, he made a handful of blog posts to the organisation's website, defending SOPA generally, and specifically pooh-poohing the idea that SOPA would have a negative impact on the overall security of the internet. This was the hottest hot potato during the SOPA fight, as eminent computer scientists and security experts argued that the law's provision against tools that made it possible to defeat domain name blocks would kill work on projects like DNSSEC, a technology that counters the domain hijacking techniques employed by identity thieves and other fraudsters, as well as totalitarian governments who want to block access to foreign news sites. |
| And before Brigner had been at the MPAA, he had been an official at US the telecom giant Verizon, , where he was on the record opposing net neutrality (the idea that ISPs should connect users to the sites they request, and not slow down some sites to the benefit of competitors who've paid for the privilege). Net neutrality is another long-running battle for ISOC, and they are staunchly for it. | And before Brigner had been at the MPAA, he had been an official at US the telecom giant Verizon, , where he was on the record opposing net neutrality (the idea that ISPs should connect users to the sites they request, and not slow down some sites to the benefit of competitors who've paid for the privilege). Net neutrality is another long-running battle for ISOC, and they are staunchly for it. |
| So how could ISOC appoint someone who had supported domain seizure, been prepared to sacrifice DNSSEC and the integrity of the internet's domain name system, and who was on the record as an opponent of net neutrality? How could such a person fill such a key role? Was he a mole put in place to weaken ISOC from within, paving the way for .ORG to join .NET and .COM as political footballs for copyright enforcers? | So how could ISOC appoint someone who had supported domain seizure, been prepared to sacrifice DNSSEC and the integrity of the internet's domain name system, and who was on the record as an opponent of net neutrality? How could such a person fill such a key role? Was he a mole put in place to weaken ISOC from within, paving the way for .ORG to join .NET and .COM as political footballs for copyright enforcers? |
| Not according to him, and not according to ISOC. I've been peppering their press contact with a lot of questions about Brigner's appointment, and they made a good case that he is the right man for the job. | Not according to him, and not according to ISOC. I've been peppering their press contact with a lot of questions about Brigner's appointment, and they made a good case that he is the right man for the job. |
| I asked Brigner whether his statements about DNS blocking and seizure and net neutrality had been sincere. "There are certainly a number of statements attributed to me that demonstrate my past thoughts on DNS and other issues," he answered. "I would not have stated them if I didn't believe them. But the true nature of my work was focused on trying to build bridges with the technology community and the content community and find solutions to our common problems. As I became more ingrained in the debate, I became more educated on the realities of these issues, and the reality is that a mandated technical solution just isn't a viable option for the future of the internet. When presented with the facts over time, it was clear I had to adjust my thinking. | I asked Brigner whether his statements about DNS blocking and seizure and net neutrality had been sincere. "There are certainly a number of statements attributed to me that demonstrate my past thoughts on DNS and other issues," he answered. "I would not have stated them if I didn't believe them. But the true nature of my work was focused on trying to build bridges with the technology community and the content community and find solutions to our common problems. As I became more ingrained in the debate, I became more educated on the realities of these issues, and the reality is that a mandated technical solution just isn't a viable option for the future of the internet. When presented with the facts over time, it was clear I had to adjust my thinking. |
| "My views have evolved over the last year as I engaged with leading technologists on DNSSEC. Through those discussions, I came to believe that legislating technological approaches to fight copyright violations threatens the architecture of the internet. However, I do think that voluntary measures could be developed and implemented to help address the issue. | "My views have evolved over the last year as I engaged with leading technologists on DNSSEC. Through those discussions, I came to believe that legislating technological approaches to fight copyright violations threatens the architecture of the internet. However, I do think that voluntary measures could be developed and implemented to help address the issue. |
| "I will most definitely advocate on Internet Society's behalf in favor of all issues listed, and I share the organization's views on all of those topics. I would not have joined the organisation otherwise, and I look forward to advocating on its behalf." | "I will most definitely advocate on Internet Society's behalf in favor of all issues listed, and I share the organization's views on all of those topics. I would not have joined the organisation otherwise, and I look forward to advocating on its behalf." |
| I asked similar questions of Walda Roseman, chief operating officer of ISOC, who concurred. "The Internet Society has known Paul for many, many years, and you may not know that he was also a founding member of our DC chapter," she says. "So he's no stranger to us. We've always found him to act with the utmost integrity and principled character. Even when on the other side of the debate, he was always considered one of the good guys, constantly reaching across the aisle to find common ground. Now, as you would expect in a case like this, we certainly took a close examination at his past views, talked with many associates and vetted every angle. And I am thoroughly convinced, as are my Internet Society colleagues, that Paul is steadfast in his belief in its position on SOPA, net neutrality and the importance of keeping the internet open and free." | I asked similar questions of Walda Roseman, chief operating officer of ISOC, who concurred. "The Internet Society has known Paul for many, many years, and you may not know that he was also a founding member of our DC chapter," she says. "So he's no stranger to us. We've always found him to act with the utmost integrity and principled character. Even when on the other side of the debate, he was always considered one of the good guys, constantly reaching across the aisle to find common ground. Now, as you would expect in a case like this, we certainly took a close examination at his past views, talked with many associates and vetted every angle. And I am thoroughly convinced, as are my Internet Society colleagues, that Paul is steadfast in his belief in its position on SOPA, net neutrality and the importance of keeping the internet open and free." |
| Intellectual honesty can be defined as the willingness to revise your beliefs in the face of contradictory evidence. Paul Brigner says that he has gradually evolved his beliefs and now repudiates the statements he made on behalf of his former employers, and his new colleagues say they believe his sincerity. They even supplied a list of personal endorsements from the likes of internet pioneer Steve Crocker. I'm left with the picture of an idealistic technologist who felt that he could do more good inside the MPAA than fighting it from outside, but gave it up as a bad job. That's not a bad sort of person to have in a position of importance at an organisation as vital to the internet's integrity as ISOC. | Intellectual honesty can be defined as the willingness to revise your beliefs in the face of contradictory evidence. Paul Brigner says that he has gradually evolved his beliefs and now repudiates the statements he made on behalf of his former employers, and his new colleagues say they believe his sincerity. They even supplied a list of personal endorsements from the likes of internet pioneer Steve Crocker. I'm left with the picture of an idealistic technologist who felt that he could do more good inside the MPAA than fighting it from outside, but gave it up as a bad job. That's not a bad sort of person to have in a position of importance at an organisation as vital to the internet's integrity as ISOC. |
| Comments | Comments |
| 6 comments, displaying first | 6 comments, displaying first |
| 17 April 2012 10:52AM | 17 April 2012 10:52AM |
| I may have misunderstood the chronology here - but If he was a founding member of ISOC's DC chapter, and then went to work for the MPAA, and *then* decided he was wrong and went back to ISOC, doesn't that mean that he changed his position twice? That sounds a lot less reassuring. | I may have misunderstood the chronology here - but If he was a founding member of ISOC's DC chapter, and then went to work for the MPAA, and *then* decided he was wrong and went back to ISOC, doesn't that mean that he changed his position twice? That sounds a lot less reassuring. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 18 April 2012 6:11AM | 18 April 2012 6:11AM |
| walda roseman said of paul brigner: "We've always found him to act with the utmost integrity and principled character. Even when on the other side of the debate, he was always considered one of the good guys, constantly reaching across the aisle to find common ground." from my own experience being on the other side of the SOPA debate from mr. brigner, i completely agree. he was a pleasure to be in an argument with, and could give just about anybody lessons in "class". i'm glad to see him with ISOC now. | walda roseman said of paul brigner: "We've always found him to act with the utmost integrity and principled character. Even when on the other side of the debate, he was always considered one of the good guys, constantly reaching across the aisle to find common ground." from my own experience being on the other side of the SOPA debate from mr. brigner, i completely agree. he was a pleasure to be in an argument with, and could give just about anybody lessons in "class". i'm glad to see him with ISOC now. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 18 April 2012 8:54AM | 18 April 2012 8:54AM |
| "Tellingly, none of the seizures came from .ORG-space." | "Tellingly, none of the seizures came from .ORG-space." |
| Er.... yes they were. For instance, rojadirecta.org: http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1102/110202newyork.htm And some counterfeit sites: http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1107/110728washingtondc.htm http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1110/111031washingtondc.htm | Er.... yes they were. For instance, rojadirecta.org: http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1102/110202newyork.htm And some counterfeit sites: http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1107/110728washingtondc.htm http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1110/111031washingtondc.htm |
| The reason why most were .com and .net were that 1. these are far more common than .org and 2. the vast majority of seized domains were of sites felling counterfeits, not engaged in offering pirated content. If you're a counterfeit site, you'll like use com or net as they are the traditional business venues online and you want to look vaguely legit. | The reason why most were .com and .net were that 1. these are far more common than .org and 2. the vast majority of seized domains were of sites felling counterfeits, not engaged in offering pirated content. If you're a counterfeit site, you'll like use com or net as they are the traditional business venues online and you want to look vaguely legit. |
| So you might want to rethink: "But ISOC has an admirable history of standing its ground and demanding warrants, judicial orders and all the other formalities attending a society governed by the rule of law." | So you might want to rethink: "But ISOC has an admirable history of standing its ground and demanding warrants, judicial orders and all the other formalities attending a society governed by the rule of law." |
| Afilias is a US based registry. If ICE or the Feds come along with a warrant, they have to play ball, just like Verisign. They're no holier than anyone else. | Afilias is a US based registry. If ICE or the Feds come along with a warrant, they have to play ball, just like Verisign. They're no holier than anyone else. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 18 April 2012 8:56AM | 18 April 2012 8:56AM |
| He was at Verizon before the MPAA. He was brought in to handle graduated response more than SOPA. That part of his job went well. | He was at Verizon before the MPAA. He was brought in to handle graduated response more than SOPA. That part of his job went well. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 19 April 2012 11:31AM | 19 April 2012 11:31AM |
| Er.... yes they were. For instance, rojadirecta.org: | Er.... yes they were. For instance, rojadirecta.org: |
| Yes. Another biggy was thepiratecity.org - a few more: needjerseys.org, nflsport.org, sports95.org, thanksjerseys.org, buyjerseysonline.org, cheapjerseysite.org, cheapnflshop.org, discountedjerseys.org, jerseysworld.org, nfljerseysupply.org, okupsnfl.org, p90x-workout-program.org, replicaoakleysale.org, upsjerseys.org, upsnfl.org, uspsnfl.org, cheapjerseys16.org, cheapjerseyssite.org, coolnfljerseys.org, nfljerseysusa.org, pickjerseys.org, ralphlauren-polos.org, toryburchsoutlets.org | Yes. Another biggy was thepiratecity.org - a few more: needjerseys.org, nflsport.org, sports95.org, thanksjerseys.org, buyjerseysonline.org, cheapjerseysite.org, cheapnflshop.org, discountedjerseys.org, jerseysworld.org, nfljerseysupply.org, okupsnfl.org, p90x-workout-program.org, replicaoakleysale.org, upsjerseys.org, upsnfl.org, uspsnfl.org, cheapjerseys16.org, cheapjerseyssite.org, coolnfljerseys.org, nfljerseysusa.org, pickjerseys.org, ralphlauren-polos.org, toryburchsoutlets.org |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 19 April 2012 4:55PM | 19 April 2012 4:55PM |
| As the US government continues to combine and be corrupted by corporations, which has already snowballed out of control, this trend of illegal domain seizures will only accelerate. The internet will be closed and controlled in a manner that is pernicious to the 99% yet beneficial to the profits of the 1%. This is no longer a democracy in the USA, I can attest. | As the US government continues to combine and be corrupted by corporations, which has already snowballed out of control, this trend of illegal domain seizures will only accelerate. The internet will be closed and controlled in a manner that is pernicious to the 99% yet beneficial to the profits of the 1%. This is no longer a democracy in the USA, I can attest. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| Comments on this page are now closed. | Comments on this page are now closed. |
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| Paul Brigner campaigned for SOPA, but now he says he's 'adjusted' his thinking. Is he a mole? No, he's just woken up to reality | Paul Brigner campaigned for SOPA, but now he says he's 'adjusted' his thinking. Is he a mole? No, he's just woken up to reality |
| Late in March, I started to get a steady stream of emails from concerned readers: did you see that the Internet Society has appointed the former chief technology officer of the MPAA to be their North American regional director? | Late in March, I started to get a steady stream of emails from concerned readers: did you see that the Internet Society has appointed the former chief technology officer of the MPAA to be their North American regional director? |
| I was as alarmed as they were. The Internet Society – ISOC – is an international nonprofit organisation whose mission is "to assure the open development, evolution and use of the internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world". More concretely, ISOC is also in charge of the .ORG registry, through its subsidiary, the Public Interest Registry. | I was as alarmed as they were. The Internet Society – ISOC – is an international nonprofit organisation whose mission is "to assure the open development, evolution and use of the internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world". More concretely, ISOC is also in charge of the .ORG registry, through its subsidiary, the Public Interest Registry. |
| .ORG holds a special place in the heart of internet activists. In the early days of the internet, there were only three generic top-level domains (gTLDs): .ORG, .NET, and .COM, and even though other gTLDs have been created since (like .INFO), these three are the most recognisably legitimate, credible domains in the world. | .ORG holds a special place in the heart of internet activists. In the early days of the internet, there were only three generic top-level domains (gTLDs): .ORG, .NET, and .COM, and even though other gTLDs have been created since (like .INFO), these three are the most recognisably legitimate, credible domains in the world. |
| But .NET and .COM aren't what they once were. The past year has seen a series of sloppy, high-profile domain seizures from .NET and .COM. There were extrajudicial, cloak-and-dagger operations run by the Obama administration's customs enforcers, acting on flimsy tips from junior employees at the big entertainment lobbies. Domains like dajaz1.com disappeared into Kafkaesque legal grey zones of secret evidence and hidden processes. Worse still was the seizure of the mooo.com domain, which was replaced with a stern warning saying the website that had once lived at that name had been a haven of child pornography (it wasn't – it had been home to 84,000 perfectly normal, harmless websites, all of whose owners were tarred by the accusation). And who can forget JotForm's seizure, another baseless, erroneous confiscation that made headlines in the middle of the fight over the proposed US Stop Online Piracy Act, as a precusor to what life might be like under that regime. | But .NET and .COM aren't what they once were. The past year has seen a series of sloppy, high-profile domain seizures from .NET and .COM. There were extrajudicial, cloak-and-dagger operations run by the Obama administration's customs enforcers, acting on flimsy tips from junior employees at the big entertainment lobbies. Domains like dajaz1.com disappeared into Kafkaesque legal grey zones of secret evidence and hidden processes. Worse still was the seizure of the mooo.com domain, which was replaced with a stern warning saying the website that had once lived at that name had been a haven of child pornography (it wasn't – it had been home to 84,000 perfectly normal, harmless websites, all of whose owners were tarred by the accusation). And who can forget JotForm's seizure, another baseless, erroneous confiscation that made headlines in the middle of the fight over the proposed US Stop Online Piracy Act, as a precusor to what life might be like under that regime. |
| Tellingly, none of the seizures came from .ORG-space. .NET and .COM are managed by Verisign, a US firm with a history of playing nice with US law enforcement and administrative agencies, even when those agencies and officers are acting outside the law. But ISOC has an admirable history of standing its ground and demanding warrants, judicial orders and all the other formalities attending a society governed by the rule of law. | Tellingly, none of the seizures came from .ORG-space. .NET and .COM are managed by Verisign, a US firm with a history of playing nice with US law enforcement and administrative agencies, even when those agencies and officers are acting outside the law. But ISOC has an admirable history of standing its ground and demanding warrants, judicial orders and all the other formalities attending a society governed by the rule of law. |
| SOPA's advocates viewed extrajudicial domain seizure without due process or the presumption of innocence as key to an effective copyright enforcement strategy. The now discredited law was filled with ways that you could lose your domain, from the "market based" approach of directly allowing rightsholder groups to order their seizure to a simplified process for sympathetic government agencies to effect seizures. | SOPA's advocates viewed extrajudicial domain seizure without due process or the presumption of innocence as key to an effective copyright enforcement strategy. The now discredited law was filled with ways that you could lose your domain, from the "market based" approach of directly allowing rightsholder groups to order their seizure to a simplified process for sympathetic government agencies to effect seizures. |
| There was even a provision for allowing domain registrars to pre-emptively seize domains from themselves without first receiving a complaint, and without having to worry about being sued for damages if it turned out they'd been wrong. | There was even a provision for allowing domain registrars to pre-emptively seize domains from themselves without first receiving a complaint, and without having to worry about being sued for damages if it turned out they'd been wrong. |
| Paul Brigner was chief technical officer of the Motion Picture Association of America during the SOPA debacle. During his one-year tenure with the MPAA, he made a handful of blog posts to the organisation's website, defending SOPA generally, and specifically pooh-poohing the idea that SOPA would have a negative impact on the overall security of the internet. This was the hottest hot potato during the SOPA fight, as eminent computer scientists and security experts argued that the law's provision against tools that made it possible to defeat domain name blocks would kill work on projects like DNSSEC, a technology that counters the domain hijacking techniques employed by identity thieves and other fraudsters, as well as totalitarian governments who want to block access to foreign news sites. | Paul Brigner was chief technical officer of the Motion Picture Association of America during the SOPA debacle. During his one-year tenure with the MPAA, he made a handful of blog posts to the organisation's website, defending SOPA generally, and specifically pooh-poohing the idea that SOPA would have a negative impact on the overall security of the internet. This was the hottest hot potato during the SOPA fight, as eminent computer scientists and security experts argued that the law's provision against tools that made it possible to defeat domain name blocks would kill work on projects like DNSSEC, a technology that counters the domain hijacking techniques employed by identity thieves and other fraudsters, as well as totalitarian governments who want to block access to foreign news sites. |
| And before Brigner had been at the MPAA, he had been an official at US the telecom giant Verizon, , where he was on the record opposing net neutrality (the idea that ISPs should connect users to the sites they request, and not slow down some sites to the benefit of competitors who've paid for the privilege). Net neutrality is another long-running battle for ISOC, and they are staunchly for it. | And before Brigner had been at the MPAA, he had been an official at US the telecom giant Verizon, , where he was on the record opposing net neutrality (the idea that ISPs should connect users to the sites they request, and not slow down some sites to the benefit of competitors who've paid for the privilege). Net neutrality is another long-running battle for ISOC, and they are staunchly for it. |
| So how could ISOC appoint someone who had supported domain seizure, been prepared to sacrifice DNSSEC and the integrity of the internet's domain name system, and who was on the record as an opponent of net neutrality? How could such a person fill such a key role? Was he a mole put in place to weaken ISOC from within, paving the way for .ORG to join .NET and .COM as political footballs for copyright enforcers? | So how could ISOC appoint someone who had supported domain seizure, been prepared to sacrifice DNSSEC and the integrity of the internet's domain name system, and who was on the record as an opponent of net neutrality? How could such a person fill such a key role? Was he a mole put in place to weaken ISOC from within, paving the way for .ORG to join .NET and .COM as political footballs for copyright enforcers? |
| Not according to him, and not according to ISOC. I've been peppering their press contact with a lot of questions about Brigner's appointment, and they made a good case that he is the right man for the job. | Not according to him, and not according to ISOC. I've been peppering their press contact with a lot of questions about Brigner's appointment, and they made a good case that he is the right man for the job. |
| I asked Brigner whether his statements about DNS blocking and seizure and net neutrality had been sincere. "There are certainly a number of statements attributed to me that demonstrate my past thoughts on DNS and other issues," he answered. "I would not have stated them if I didn't believe them. But the true nature of my work was focused on trying to build bridges with the technology community and the content community and find solutions to our common problems. As I became more ingrained in the debate, I became more educated on the realities of these issues, and the reality is that a mandated technical solution just isn't a viable option for the future of the internet. When presented with the facts over time, it was clear I had to adjust my thinking. | I asked Brigner whether his statements about DNS blocking and seizure and net neutrality had been sincere. "There are certainly a number of statements attributed to me that demonstrate my past thoughts on DNS and other issues," he answered. "I would not have stated them if I didn't believe them. But the true nature of my work was focused on trying to build bridges with the technology community and the content community and find solutions to our common problems. As I became more ingrained in the debate, I became more educated on the realities of these issues, and the reality is that a mandated technical solution just isn't a viable option for the future of the internet. When presented with the facts over time, it was clear I had to adjust my thinking. |
| "My views have evolved over the last year as I engaged with leading technologists on DNSSEC. Through those discussions, I came to believe that legislating technological approaches to fight copyright violations threatens the architecture of the internet. However, I do think that voluntary measures could be developed and implemented to help address the issue. | "My views have evolved over the last year as I engaged with leading technologists on DNSSEC. Through those discussions, I came to believe that legislating technological approaches to fight copyright violations threatens the architecture of the internet. However, I do think that voluntary measures could be developed and implemented to help address the issue. |
| "I will most definitely advocate on Internet Society's behalf in favor of all issues listed, and I share the organization's views on all of those topics. I would not have joined the organisation otherwise, and I look forward to advocating on its behalf." | "I will most definitely advocate on Internet Society's behalf in favor of all issues listed, and I share the organization's views on all of those topics. I would not have joined the organisation otherwise, and I look forward to advocating on its behalf." |
| I asked similar questions of Walda Roseman, chief operating officer of ISOC, who concurred. "The Internet Society has known Paul for many, many years, and you may not know that he was also a founding member of our DC chapter," she says. "So he's no stranger to us. We've always found him to act with the utmost integrity and principled character. Even when on the other side of the debate, he was always considered one of the good guys, constantly reaching across the aisle to find common ground. Now, as you would expect in a case like this, we certainly took a close examination at his past views, talked with many associates and vetted every angle. And I am thoroughly convinced, as are my Internet Society colleagues, that Paul is steadfast in his belief in its position on SOPA, net neutrality and the importance of keeping the internet open and free." | I asked similar questions of Walda Roseman, chief operating officer of ISOC, who concurred. "The Internet Society has known Paul for many, many years, and you may not know that he was also a founding member of our DC chapter," she says. "So he's no stranger to us. We've always found him to act with the utmost integrity and principled character. Even when on the other side of the debate, he was always considered one of the good guys, constantly reaching across the aisle to find common ground. Now, as you would expect in a case like this, we certainly took a close examination at his past views, talked with many associates and vetted every angle. And I am thoroughly convinced, as are my Internet Society colleagues, that Paul is steadfast in his belief in its position on SOPA, net neutrality and the importance of keeping the internet open and free." |
| Intellectual honesty can be defined as the willingness to revise your beliefs in the face of contradictory evidence. Paul Brigner says that he has gradually evolved his beliefs and now repudiates the statements he made on behalf of his former employers, and his new colleagues say they believe his sincerity. They even supplied a list of personal endorsements from the likes of internet pioneer Steve Crocker. I'm left with the picture of an idealistic technologist who felt that he could do more good inside the MPAA than fighting it from outside, but gave it up as a bad job. That's not a bad sort of person to have in a position of importance at an organisation as vital to the internet's integrity as ISOC. | Intellectual honesty can be defined as the willingness to revise your beliefs in the face of contradictory evidence. Paul Brigner says that he has gradually evolved his beliefs and now repudiates the statements he made on behalf of his former employers, and his new colleagues say they believe his sincerity. They even supplied a list of personal endorsements from the likes of internet pioneer Steve Crocker. I'm left with the picture of an idealistic technologist who felt that he could do more good inside the MPAA than fighting it from outside, but gave it up as a bad job. That's not a bad sort of person to have in a position of importance at an organisation as vital to the internet's integrity as ISOC. |