Topic: Internet Freedom

The Open Technology Fund (OTF) is a US government-funded organization that advocates for internet freedom and funded the technology behind the Signal app. A PBS report detailed how the Trump administration, through Michael Pack, withheld funding from the group. The hosts suggest the OTF may be a "shady operation" or an intelligence front, given its high budget and small staff.

The hosts lament the end of the "golden age" of the internet as independent email servers are increasingly blocked by Gmail's "trustworthiness" filters. They discuss "The Helm," a hardware appliance designed to help users run private servers by using a paid SMTP relay service. They advocate for a return to "value for value" and open-source models to combat corporate control.

A 2011 clip of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton describes U.S. efforts to provide "internet in a box" technology to dissidents in Iran to circumvent government censorship. Clinton compares the digital restrictions in Iran and Russia to a "21st-century electronic curtain." The hosts highlight the hypocrisy of the U.S. government promoting open internet abroad while seeking to control speech domestically.

The city of Chicago has implemented a 9% "cloud tax" on electronically delivered amusements and computer leases, affecting services like Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon Web Services. Legal experts suggest the tax may violate the Internet Tax Freedom Act by discriminating against online services.

Hillary Clinton received an award from the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice. The foundation's advisory board includes figures like Shimon Peres and Bono. In her acceptance speech, Clinton emphasized her commitment to "internet freedom," a term the hosts view with suspicion given current surveillance trends.

"Curry's Law" is introduced: "The more technology is centralized, the more it enslaves us." This is contrasted with "Dvorak's Law" regarding hookers in a depression. The centralization of the internet through platforms like Facebook and Google is criticized, specifically noting that Google Fiber prohibits users from running their own servers, further stripping away the original decentralized nature of the internet.

The Brazilian press questions the U.S. about specific surveillance software like "Highland" and "Vagrant." The discussion posits that countries like Brazil and Saudi Arabia are using the NSA spying scandal as leverage to move internet governance from U.S. control to the United Nations. Meanwhile, the State Department's promotion of "internet freedom" is framed as a way to ensure global traffic remains accessible to U.S. intelligence.

Senator Mike Lee expresses concern that the UN disability treaty could allow a Geneva-based committee to interfere with homeschooling and parental rights in the U.S. The hosts further discuss the impracticality of international disability mandates, such as wheelchair ramps for historical sites like the Eiffel Tower, and warn of future treaties targeting internet freedom.

The World Conference on International Telecommunications in Dubai is the focus of a discussion on the future of the internet. The hosts argue that the "Internet Freedom" rhetoric from the White House and Google is a cover for a "sender pays" system that would destroy the current peering model. They suggest this would allow large corporations to consolidate control and eliminate independent competition.

The hosts deconstruct a viral video featuring WKBT news anchor Jennifer Livingston responding to an email criticizing her weight during National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. They argue that Livingston used her "bully pulpit" to publicly shame a private critic, framing the event as a manufactured talking point to support legislation limiting free speech. Adam Curry suggests that labeling the internet as a "weapon" and schools as "battlegrounds" is a precursor to increased internet regulation and the erosion of First Amendment rights.

Curry covers several news items, including a State Department workshop on "Internet Freedom," the ongoing cholera epidemic in Haiti caused by UN peacekeepers, and the halting of the "green on blue" training program in Afghanistan. He also mentions the construction of a $100 million permanent drone base in Afghanistan.

The discussion shifts to the influence of Saudi Arabia on the Muslim Brotherhood and Western politicians. Adam Curry highlights the erosion of free speech in Europe, citing the trial of Geert Wilders and laws preventing the disparagement of religion. They argue that "Sharia for Holland" and similar groups are working to implement Islamic law within the European Union.

The United Nations Human Rights Council declares internet access a human right, a move the hosts interpret as a precursor to global internet governance. Ron and Rand Paul release a "Technology Revolution" manifesto, which is panned by mainstream media for its opposition to net neutrality. The hosts argue that "net neutrality" is doublespeak for government arbitration and centralized control of the decentralized web.

The European Parliament voted to reject the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), a controversial international treaty aimed at strengthening copyright enforcement. Activists like Jeremy Zimmerman hailed the victory as a turning point against the "spiral of repression" pushed by the entertainment industry. Opponents argued the treaty threatened online freedom and the ability of users to share and remix cultural goods.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton released the 2011 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, emphasizing U.S. monitoring of global abuses. The report specifically targeted the Assad regime in Syria for its brutality against citizens. Clinton also linked human rights to internet freedom and the "universal right" to associate and communicate online, though critics point to domestic U.S. surveillance as a contradiction.

The US State Department has launched Twitter-based press conferences in multiple languages, including Farsi. A spokesperson claimed Iran is "adept at blocking the free flow of information," which the hosts dispute by noting the high volume of Farsi content online. They view these digital initiatives as blatant propaganda and "techno-expert" interference.

The State Department revealed it spends $70 million annually on programs to help activists bypass government censorship in countries like Iran. Over 7,500 activists have been trained in these "shadow" internet technologies. The hosts argue that funding foreign dissidents to bypass their own laws is an act of digital warfare.

During a speech on internet freedom at George Washington University, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ignored the forcible removal of 71-year-old veteran Ray McGovern. McGovern, a former CIA analyst, stood silently with his back turned to Clinton in a "Veterans for Peace" sweatshirt before being tackled and arrested by security. The incident is contrasted with Clinton's rhetoric regarding the importance of open communication and dissent in foreign nations.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a speech on Internet freedom, denouncing terrorists, human traffickers, and child pornographers. During the address, she mentioned the ratification of the Budapest Cybercrime Convention. This treaty is highlighted as a potential tool for international law enforcement to regulate online activity under the guise of security.