Communications Roundtable (CPSR, EFF, TAP, etc.) has established these
items as priorities in the Information Infrastructure.
Cypherpunks: it occured to me that we could gain a lot of valuable
knowledge with how to commence with this `infrastructure building' by
looking at historical analogues. While the advent of cyberspace is
clearly straight out of the 21st century, we have many parallels to
large government building programs throughout the whole American
history. What policies were beneficial in colonizing the frontier?
which ones were detrimental? Railroads? Highway system? What should we
have done differently? In some cases the government provided subsidies
to private companies to develop segments and to promote widespread
public access. How can we prevent abuse of these funds? Was this
generally a successful approach? Is this the best way to go about it?
There's a *tremendous* need for informed, thorough, impartial papers on
this subject, and not just policy statements from groups that say `this
is how it should be' with the words `because it would benefit *us* the
most' in between the lines... (Not suggesting that the below is
anything of this type, though. In fact, the roundtable represents an
excellent diversity of views in computer rights areas, IMHO--dunno
about commercial interests though.)
This document identifies as priorities:
1. UNIVERSAL ACCESS
2. FREEDOM TO COMMUNICATE
3. VITAL CIVIC SECTOR
4. DIVERSE AND COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE
5. EQUITABLE WORKPLACE
6. PRIVACY
7. DEMOCRATIC POLICYMAKING
Roundtable contacts appended.
==============================================================
RENEWING THE COMMITMENT TO A PUBLIC INTEREST
TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY
Telecommunications Policy Roundtable
September 1, 1993
A communications revolution is underway as profound as the
introduction of the printing press. A new "National Information
Infrastructure" is rapidly moving into place -- which will carry
video, audio, and data information into homes and offices across
the country. Its emergence will produce fundamental shifts in
American life, transforming everything from work to education to
government to culture. Because the health of our democracy is
inextricably linked to the nature of our communications system,
this new information infrastructure raises far-reaching
questions about our country and its transition into the next
century: Who will own these networks? Who will have access to
them? What steps will be taken to preserve public institutions?
Policy decisions made during the next few years will shape the
communications system for decades to come. Enlightened policies
could harness the power of these new technologies to ameliorate
many of our nation's most critical problems by revitalizing
civic institutions, expanding educational opportunities,
enhancing access to health care services, and improving job
training. However, without a clear commitment to public goals,
this promise will never be fulfilled.Instead, many of the
shortcomings of our present telecommunications system will be
intensified and a host of more serious problems created. There
is already a growing disparity between the technologically
affluent and the technologically disenfranchised that endangers
our social fabric.
Policy makers must ensure that the development of the
information infrastructure reflects the public interest spirit
that has long guided our country's communications policies: our
commitment to a national telephone system available to all gave
rise to the concept of "universal service," enabling those in
the most remote parts of the nation to have access to the means
of communication; our commitment to making noncommercial
educational, arts, and public affairs programming available to
all Americans led to the creation of a public broadcasting
system.
Our government has the responsibility as public trustee to
ensure that new communications technologies serve the democratic
and social needs of our country. The rise of new technologies
and new businesses has increased the importance of this
responsibility. The convergence of once separate industries
requires a new policy framework for the information
infrastructure, rooted in the shared values of our country
and dedicated to the common good.
We call on the President and the Congress to pursue a broad and
public interest vision for the National Information
Infrastructure. We must move beyond narrow and short-term
interests and embrace a view that reflects the great diversity
and richness of our country. Our policies should reflect the
values of a democratic government -- openness, participation,
and discussion. They must be inclusive and generous in spirit,
ensuring that all segments of our pluralistic society have
meaningful access to the telecommunications system. These are
the principles on which a great nation has been built.
As representatives of many nonprofit and public interest
organizations, we believe that the following principles must
guide policy making in order to ensure that future generations
inherit an information infrastructure which enhances the quality
of life for everyone.
PUBLIC INTEREST PRINCIPLES
1. UNIVERSAL ACCESS
All people should have affordable access to the information
infrastructure.
Fundamental to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in
the Information Age is access to video, audio, and data networks
that provide a broad range of news, public affairs, education,
health, and government information and services. Such services
should be provided in a user-friendly format, widely available
to everyone, including persons with disabilities. Information
that is essential in order to fully participate in a democratic
society should be provided free.
2. FREEDOM TO COMMUNICATE
The information infrastructure should enable all people to
effectively exercise their fundamental right to communicate.
Freedom of speech should be protected and fostered by the new
information infrastructure, guaranteeing the right of every
person to communicate easily, affordably, and effectively. The
design of the infrastructure should facilitate two-way, audio
and video communication from anyone to any individual, group, or
network. The rights of creators must be protected, while
accommodating the needs of users and libraries.
Telecommunication carriers should not be permitted to constrain
the free flow of information protected by the First Amendment.
3. VITAL CIVIC SECTOR
The information infrastructure must have a vital civic sector at
its core.
For our democracy to flourish in the 21st Century, there must be
a vital civic sector which enables the meaningful participation
of all segments of our pluralistic society. Just as we have
established public libraries and public highways, we must create
public arenas or "electronic commons" in the media landscape.
This will require the active involvement of a broad range of
civic institutions -- schools, universities, and libraries,
not-for-profit groups, and governmental organizations. It will
also require vibrant public telecommunications networks at the
national, regional, and state level.
4. DIVERSE AND COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE
The information infrastructure should ensure competition among
ideas and information providers.
The information infrastructure must be designed to foster a
healthy marketplace of ideas, where a full range of viewpoints
is expressed and robust debate is stimulated. Individuals,
nonprofits, and for-profit information providers need ready
access to this marketplace if it is to thrive. To ensure
competition among information providers, policies should be
developed to lower barriers to entry (particularly for small
and independent services); telecommunications carriers should
not be permitted to control programming; and antitrust policies
should be vigorously enforced to prevent market dominance by
vertically-integrated media monopolies.
5. EQUITABLE WORKPLACE
New technologies should be used to enhance the quality of work
and to promote equity in the workplace.
Because the information infrastructure will transform the
content and conduct of work, policies should be developed to
ensure that electronic technologies are utilized to improve the
work environment rather than dehumanize it. Workers should
share the benefits of the increased productivity that those
technologies make possible. The rights and protections that
workers now enjoy should be preserved and enhanced. To
encourage nondiscriminatory practices throughout the information
marketplace, public policy should promote greater representation
of women, people of color, and persons with disabilities at all
levels of management.
6. PRIVACY
Privacy should be carefully protected and extended.
A comprehensive set of policies should be developed to ensure
that the privacy of all people is adequately protected. The
collection of personal data should be strictly limited to the
minimum necessary to provide specific services. Sharing data
collected from individuals should only be permitted with their
informed consent, freely given without coercion. Individuals
should have the right to inspect and correct data files about
them. Innovative billing practices should be developed that
increase individual privacy.
7. DEMOCRATIC POLICYMAKING
The public should be fully involved in policy making for the
information infrastructure.
The public must be fully involved in all stages of the
development and ongoing regulation of the information
infrastructure. The issues are not narrow technical matters
which will only affect us as consumers; they are fundamental
questions that will have profound effects on us as citizens
and could reshape our democracy. Extensive efforts should be
made to fully inform the public about what is at stake, and to
encourage broad discussion and debate. The policy process
should be conducted in an open manner with full press scrutiny.
Effective mechanisms should be established to ensure continued
public participation in telecommunications policymaking.
Persons wanting more information about the Roundtable are
urged to contact:
Jeff Chester, Center for Media Education, 202/628-2620;
cme(a)access.digex.net
Marc Rotenberg, CPSR, 202/544-9240;
rotenberg(a)washofc.cpsr.org
Prue Adler, Association of Research Libraries,
202/296-8656, prue(a)cni.org
