User:Econterms

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Revision as of 21:17, 3 January 2014 by Econterms (talk | contribs) (→‎Public policy topics: possible workgroup frame)
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I'm Peter Benjamin Meyer. My regular user page is on the English Wikipedia.

I'm a new director and officer of this chapter. I'm focusing on chapter business of two kinds (a) being treasurer and (b) participating in and hosting edit-a-thons.

Chapter business

  • I was a candidate for the Wiki-DC board of directors in the Feb/March 2013 election. Here were my candidacy statements.
  • I welcome feedback about the chapter at this special-purpose address: peter.meyer (at) wikimediadc.org.

To do

Public policy work group proposal

  • Work group within Wiki DC
  • Can improve articles on legislation and court cases
  • Can team up with Cato Institute for edit-a-thons
  • Should not represent Wiki-DC wout board approval
  • Takes stances if any that are in the public interest of free knowledge, not stances organized towards the narrow interest of the organization
  • Members can self-identify as members of Wiki DC in public, without apology, but do not generally represent the organization
  • useful for those of us who do not have a work affiliation we can use for open-source / free-knowledge work
  • Prepare congressional briefings in 2014 after good experiences in 2013 ([[1]])
  • in 2013, Wiki DC was committed to advocating for Internet freedom (along the SOPA/PIPA issue line. Wiki DC has some budget capacity for this. contact person at Lofgren's office is senior legislative counsel: harley.geiger at mail.house.gov ; 225-3072.
  • Software patents are hot since Supreme Court will hear a case in March or April
  • could blog in advance on the topic, write learned papers, or coauthor briefs
  • organize a trip to see the case argued
  • Might propose a talk for Wikimania 2014 on public policy issues, e.g. "Software patents and government software", or "Can chapters take public policy positions?"
Background -- legislation of interest
  • ACTA: The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), is a multinational treaty for the purpose of establishing international standards for intellectual property; agreed on in 2011 if I understand correctly
  • CISPA: Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act -- a proposed U.S. law to "allow" (require?) sharing of Internet traffic data between the U.S. government and some companies, intended to help the government investigate cyber threats and ensure security of networks.
  • Aaron's Law: sponsored by Rep. Zoe Lofgren's office
  • SOPA/PIPA -- effort by recording industry and Hollyword to incorporate copyright protection into the infrastructure of the Internet; beaten back in 2011.
  • CALEA: The wikipedia:Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act is a United States wiretapping law passed in 1994
  • Research "Aaron's law" proposal (named for Aaron Swartz) from Rep. Lofgren's office: proposed revision to Computer Fraud and Abuse Act to reduce penalties and maybe more. [2]
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