I just found a nice book relevant to the topic of discussion. "Constitutional Rights and New Technologies: A Comparative Study (Information Technology and Law)" by Ronald E. Leenes, Bert-Jaap Koops, Paul De Hert and Susan W. Brenner published by Cambridge University Press (available for preview in Google Books) provides examples from 7 countries about how changed their countries' constitution vis-a-vis ICT. Also talks of the related laws and other provisions, thus proving a helpful resource for policy makers and academicians. If there are experts of the legal system in this mailing list, please try to have a look at this book, or at least the excerpts.
A presentation containing excerpts from the book is available at: http://www.ies.be/files/080312_P_DeHert.pdf Thanks, Bibek On Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 10:16 PM, Bibek Paudel <[email protected]>wrote: > On Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 10:06 PM, Jitendra kumar < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Bibek, I would like to add a point to this. >> I think we need to ask the government to ensure provision of providing the >> digital content that government has like digital maps, population >> statistics, etc. at no cost or very reasonable cost and if possible online. >> And, while the government can ask to be attributed by mentioning the source, >> there should be no bar on how the data is used... > > > Yes, all public data (data collected/generated by public organizations, > government etc. basically utilizing public money) should be available and > made accessible (in open formats). > > Suggestions on other topics? > > Is it ok to place surveillance cameras in public places or not? Is it ok to > ask me submit my digital records or not? Is it ok for me to encrypt my data > and be immune to decrypting it to government agencies or not? is it ok for > ISPs (or anybody else) to store their customers' data in unsecured formats > or not? is it necessary for organizations to abide by some privacy policy or > not? is it ok to share digital files or not? is it ok for bloggers to be > provided the rights at par of journalists of news agencies while attending > public events and accessing information or not? > > Thanks, > Bibek > > >> >> >> I have faced this problem a couple of times. And, really want the >> government to address this.. >> >> I hope the new constitution addresses this issue as well. >> >> Regards, >> Jitendra >> >> >> On Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 9:45 PM, Bibek Paudel <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> I am including parts of a document i prepared for the Media Workshop held >>> a few months back. I will try to send a Nepali version of the document >>> tomorrow. Please give your suggestions. Not all of the points are suitable >>> for inclusion in the constitution. Many of them should probably be addressed >>> in the laws prepared later. >>> >>> >>> Topics to be addressed: >>> >>> Electronic voting >>> filesharing should be legal. >>> Consumer rights -> eg: ISPs >>> Right to information >>> Platform neutrality -> eg: consumers right to information shouldn't be >>> dependent on the technology and platform they use. Nobody should be >>> discriminated on the basis of the technology they use. >>> Right to free speech and expression rights of both the speaker and the >>> audience >>> Right to anonymity >>> Right to privacy >>> Digital Rights Management >>> Internet blocking, censorship >>> Use of Free/Open Source Softwares in schools, government, public >>> institutes >>> Computer Curriculum of Schools >>> Open Documents and Standards >>> right of bloggers to access public information, attend public events with >>> the same rights as >>> mainstream media >>> Right to Protect the Server and other devices from Government Seizure >>> Oppose governmental effort to promote, coerce or mandate the rating or >>> filtering of digital >>> content >>> Ensure the continuation of the Internet as a forum for open, diverse and >>> unimpeded expression >>> and to maintain the vital role the Internet plays in providing an >>> efficient and democratic means >>> of distributing information around the world >>> >>> >>> Why? >>> >>> While modern technologies have changed our lives, societies and >>> governments, providing us unprecedented ways to exercise democracy and >>> express our rights, these technologies also provide similar powers to >>> governments, corporations and criminals, making it easier for them to >>> infringe on our liberties. Unfortunately, rather than because of the >>> technology itself, this happens because very few citizens and civil liberty >>> groups understand the technology well enough to understand the importance of >>> these issues. Our rights in the digital world come under frequent attacks- >>> we need to be able to defend them. Free/Open Source Software Community of >>> Nepal (FOSS Nepal) champions the cause of freedom and liberty in the digital >>> world. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Bibek >>> >>> On Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 1:15 PM, Bibek Paudel <[email protected]>wrote: >>> >>>> Hi all, >>>> Nepal's new constitution is in the process of being drafted (hopefully). >>>> I was informed by Subir dai and Prabin of a conversation they had with a >>>> Constituent Assembly member, Gagan Thapa on incorporating issues of >>>> free-software and digital freedoms in the new constitution. For that, our >>>> community needs to prepare a draft suggestion to the "Fundamental Rights >>>> Committee" of the CA in a couple of days as they're finalizing their draft >>>> early next week. >>>> >>>> Lets discuss the issues we want to be included in the new constitution. >>>> >>>> Thanks, >>>> Bibek >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ FOSS Nepal mailing list: [email protected] http://groups.google.com/group/foss-nepal To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] Community website: http://www.fossnepal.org/ -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
