On Thu, Jan 17, 2013 at 2:48 AM, Kate Krauss <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi, > > My activist group has organized a number of strategic sign-on letters over > the years--and used them successfully to change various policies. Rarely, > however, does such a letter alone do the trick--but it's good as part of a > multi-pronged strategy. > > The key question is: What does Microsoft leadership care about? What does > Steve Ballmer care about? Not what he should care about--what does he > actually care about? The way to find out is to research the top priorities > at Microsoft. Those will be your cards to play. For instance, they might > not care that much about human rights issues but might care a lot about > selling a particular product in China or rolling out Windows 8 in Europe. > They care about bad media coverage regarding Skype's human rights record, I'd hope... > > You may find that their public image is really important to them--they > seem to be trying to be a little more cool. Microsoft gets a lot out of > Skype's friendly brand and a lot of human rights credibility through its > association with the Gates Foundation. Perhaps talking about these things > would be useful. > > Global health advocates, who are surveilled on their computers using > Microsoft software like Skype, are regularly rounded up and thrown into > prison. This is at cross purposes from the admirable goals of the Gates > Foundation. And Skype's friendly, accessible software can let this happen. > > There are a lot of options. You have to research and determine--not > guess--what top people at Microsoft really care about for the company and > use that as a guide. It might be something small but pivotal to Microsoft > that activists can have great influence over (Windows 8 rolling out and > being seen as cool in Europe, to make up an example). > > This should also guide how the issue is discussed to the press. If > Microsoft cares about X, try to link the Skype problem to X when you talk > to reporters and lay it at Microsoft's doorstep. > > Perhaps a list of prominent human rights groups might be good signers. > Another list could be prominent infosec experts--this list is especially > powerful here. Because if info sec experts say Skype isn't safe--well, it > isn't safe for anybody. Another list could be potential, influential > customers for Windows 8 (or whatever business concern is a top priority for > Microsoft). > > You can have a separate list of each type of signer, with a heading, at > the bottom of the letter. And then you can also open up the letter to > everyone. Have a labeled section for human rights groups signers, a section > for info sec expert signers (or whichever groups you decide on), and a > section for regular people who don't fall into those categories so that > they can show solidarity. > > But you need to find the lever that will move the policy. That is not > every lever. > > I would also address the letter specifically to Steve Ballmer and cc the > board of directors. This is about power, not whose job Skype specifically > is. Do not diffuse responsibility. Make this specifically Steve Ballmer's > headache. > Hmm. What does the rest of libtech think about addressing the letter to Ballmer? I'm not sure how to think about this quite frankly. > > Big petitions are a bit different from this--they require thousands of > signatures, and can still fail. They are often just a way of building > lists, or syphoning off pressure on a particular issue (as with these White > House petitions, I fear). If they are gigantic and leveraged adeptly, they > can be effective. Some groups,like Avaaz, are really great at getting > results with them and are the experts in using this tactic. > I think we can achieve a similar effort by getting signatures from laudable/influential/awesome organizations/individuals en-masse and appealing to the press. > > Anyway, great leadership, Nadim! > Thank you! Glad I seem to be doing something useful. > > In solidarity, > > Kate Krauss > Executive Director, > AIDS Policy Project > www.AIDSPolicyProject.org > [email protected] > Twitter: @aidspol > > > On Wed, Jan 16, 2013 at 11:58 AM, Nadim Kobeissi <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Dear Privacy Advocates and Internet Freedom Activists, >> >> I call on you to review the following draft for our Open Letter to Skype >> and present your name or the name of your organization as signatories: >> >> http://www.skypeopenletter.com/draft/ >> >> The letter will be released soon. Feedback is also welcome. >> >> Thank you, >> NK >> >> -- >> Unsubscribe, change to digest, or change password at: >> https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/liberationtech >> > > > -- > Unsubscribe, change to digest, or change password at: > https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/liberationtech >
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