[Wikimedia-l] Update on the CISPA drafting process, and its significance to the Wikimedia movement.

[Jussi-Ville Heiskanen]

There have been drastic changes to the CISPA language, (and
here "drastic" is an understatement). Not only have they removed
the language that would have made Wikimedia look like right
prat -- hooray...ish -- but the emphasis on the agreement between
large scale traffic sites giving their userinformation over in a
quid pro quo fashion, has shifted towards language enabling
them to deputise (security clearances in an expedited fashion) small
time hacker collectives to conduct activities which might or might not
be illegal, as long as it is for the good of the country, and as long as
they can be relied to keep their mouths shut.

At this point I think *any* action by Wikimedia would be misinterpreted.
There is no-longer any text there that would affect Wikimedia directly.
There may be an argument that the bill as a whole is still detrimental
to the internet as a whole and to the United States economy, and by
that route to Wikimedia. But that is such an involved chain, that we
would certainly be accused of being political, if Wikimedia protested
in any shape or form, on those grounds.

Assuming the draft prevails of course. That is a gamble. I think the
backdoor option we have is to pressure Obama to Veto the bill. He
needs a win against Congress, and afte the SOPA affair this could
well be his, He certainly could activate all the people who phoned
in on the SOPA thing, if he wants to.

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Jussi-Ville Heiskanen, ~ [[User:Cimon Avaro]]