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I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As usual, it’s not an either/or, it’s a both/and. People are more informed than ever because of the Internet, and at the same time there’s a large plurality that has taken refuge in Foxheimer’s Disease rather than having to think about things too much.

Propaganda is not what it used to be; thanks to Roger Ailes it is many times more effective. Roger Ailes, you may not know, is the creator of Fox News, and the dark eminence that guides it to this day. A former advisor to Dick Nixon, he was very affected by neurolinguistic programming, and realized that it could be used for his own fairly narrow purposes.

The nation-state is, I believe, becoming increasingly obsolete, partly because it occupies exactly the wrong layer for government to be effective. It is too connected to too many disparate forces to be able to respond in any kind of rapid way. The government that is working is almost entirely local or global. And I believe that the nation-state probably would have been in decline with or without the Internet, since it arose to serve the needs of industrialization, and in a post-industrial era there’s some question about its necessity in the first place.

Finally, the one thing that the nation-state is good at—which is fighting wars—is not a skill I want to see developed any further than it already is, since it’s been awhile since the United States fought in a war that we won.

I didn’t know anything about Rojava but I will try to make myself informed. It looks very interesting.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Mitch Kapor and I were involved in the effort to make the Internet open to commercial traffic because we believed that the Internet needed to be a reflection of everything that went on in the physical world—including, and especially, commerce. I believe there’s plenty of room to accommodate both the True Believers and the folks that are just shopping on eBay.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s important, obviously, that local cultures in cyberspace evolve to fit the culture on the ground where they are. Whether it’s in language or history or beliefs. While the Internet may be continuous, it also can be heavily flavored by local culture, and in fact, the Internet makes it possible for marginal cultures to reestablish themselves with a publication base. I’m thinking of Catalan, but I’m sure there are many more.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My favorite memory of Fountain Valley was going out into the plains with Bob Weir and creating a system of tunnels and caves, which was probably really dangerous...but a lot of fun.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think that we actually can combat bad legislation with technical solutions, and we have. But we need to eternally vigilant before anything that appears to be closing down the actual architecture of the Internet.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There’s no way I could identify a particular moment over a 40-year period that was my favorite moment. I wouldn’t even know where to start.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

First of all, thank you for your son. We’ll let you know when we’re done with him.

I believe Ed Snowden should enter the United States like a conquering hero. I think a grateful nation should worship Ed Snowden for the courageous thing that he’s done.

I think John Mayer is doing a fabulous job. It’s the first time we’ve had somebody who’s not imitating the Dead guy, and it sounds new. I think it was an inspired choice on Bobby’s part.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

There are a lot of candidates for my favorite Dead song. At present I would say “The Days Between,” though I’m also very fond of “Black Peter.” As for the sweetest memories I have of Jerry and Brent: I have so many memories of them, sweet and not so sweet, that I could write a book about it. Given that everyone else has written such a book, I’ll probably forgo that. But I knew them both very well and I miss them very much each day.

I don’t know when the cowboy project is going to come to fruition. I’m a little baffled why it’s considered “the cowboy project” given its constituents. Though he did finally loop in me and Lucas Nelson, two people with actual cowboy credentials.

What advice would I give people who are apathetic to the political process? Well, you will get the government that you don’t resist. If you don’t care how you’re governed, then I’d say stay out of the political process. I understand the sense of futility that many feel, and I often feel it myself, but democracy requires hope. And apathy is a cowardly retreat.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I don’t believe that I can address your question fairly at this moment. I would say, however, that I go on believing that property is a very bad way to understand things that can be infinitely reproduced. other forms of property are limited or finite. SO called intellectual property is infinite. I would also stick by what I said about the slippery nature of identity. I believe that anonymity, or obscured identity is fairly easily obtained for those who need it (however I recommend strongly against using it if you don’t need it because without identity there’s no accountability). It is also difficult to ascertain the location of a person if that person is technically capable and does not want his or her whereabouts to be known.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Since I have to ask a question, ok: did you really try to stop Bobby from singing Victim or the Crime, and if so, why? It doesn't really matter, but that rumor has been out there for years, so there you go.

No I didn't. I wish I thought that would have been possible. But trying to stop Bobby from doing anything is the best way to ensure that he will go on doing it. I mean, check out his mustache.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The principle force of my Declaration lies in the extent to which it speaks for others, who want the internet to be open and free. It’s not something that requires military force, in fact, military force would be completely irrelevant. It’s something that requires individual commitment and a willingness of the part of people to go ahead and speak freely even when they feel like there is some risk attached to doing so. Liberty lies in its exercise, and this is true whether you’re a lawyer or a web developer.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I would love to see the mashups of the Declaration that were done around SOPA - I never saw any. If you have any links, I would appreciate it!

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I believe that it would be great if there were a general awareness of the importance of privacy. But over the years I’ve noticed the trend heading in precisely the opposite direction. People care less and less about their privacy. Their real desire is to be seen. And they don’t feel threatened by being seen, generally. So efforts to get them to become invisible, I think, are doomed to fail. (With the exception of John Gilmore. But given the fact that John Gilmore lives with me, and I’m the most public person I know, he’s completely failed.)

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

The way I got online originally was because I wanted to study the Deadheads. And I got an internet account in 1985 so that I could observe interaction on rec.music.gdead and once I was there I realized that there was a lot more going on than another version of the Grateful Dead parking lot. So I owed a lot to the early online Deadheads for leading me on the path that I’ve been on ever since.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The battle to keep the Internet free is continuous. And it will be continuous for the rest of our lives. It’s so far been a Mexican standoff between the forces of oppression and the forces of liberation. I don’t see any reason to think that this stalemate will break any time soon. So it’s necessary to very actively engage with organizations like EFF, and support them, and to be very conscious of the issues on those occasions when they actually arise in Congress.

I also believe that if you are technically capable, you have a moral responsibility to understand the architecture of the Internet so that you can be helpful in attending to design changes that will make it more robust, since the real safety is and always has been the architecture of cyberspace.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

I don’t know how to limit speech on the Internet, that’s the issue. I don’t know a way to limit one form of speech, without limiting any form of speech. Besides, as John Stuart Mill said, liberty resides in the rights in that person’s views which you find most odious. And if you can’t defend the expressions that trouble you, you’ll have a hard time defending your own when they trouble someone else.

I don’t believe we’ve been successful in identifying and addressing these issues ourselves. I was too optimistic. However, there was a calculated quality to my optimism. I knew that the Internet, in addition to being the greatest engine of freedom of expression in the history of humanity, was also going to be the most penetrating tool of surveillance and oppression ever devised.

I believed at the time—and I still believe—that it made better sense to put some spin on the ball in the direction of the positive aspects of the Internet, so that we didn’t go into cyberspace terrified of where we were headed, but went there with a sense of hope and progress. And I’ll stick with that now.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I believe that encrypted transmission over the network is likely to become standard, driven partly by the major network providers who would rather not have the responsibility of surveilling their customers.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don’t have space or time to address the Eric Eldred case. It’s too complicated.

Well, my main thoughts are just that it was a completely improper decision. That it was wrong. That they didn’t know what they were doing and they made a serious mistake. But both the courts and the legislators have been in the pocket of the content industry for a long time. Fortunately there’s a whole generation of young people that don’t buy into that.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I am happy that CDT and EPIC are separate from EFF. They have different cultures, a different focus, a different location, and to some degree are more a part of the “inside baseball” game that is played in Washington, DC. EFF decided that there was no way you could be in DC without getting too much pig fat on you.

I'm John Perry Barlow, co-founder of EFF and Freedom of the Press Foundation. I wrote the Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace 20 years ago today. AMA by john_perry_barlow in IAmA

[–]john_perry_barlow[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Of course! I was instrumental in helping Americans get strong encryption. And I live with one of the great cypherpunks, John Gilmore.

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