the eponymous blogger

WikiLeaks’ Hacktivist Ethics

2010-12-31T23:35:00.010-04:00

The WikiLeaks Organization

WikiLeaks is a nascent media organization that describes itself as a not-for-profit group specializing in publishing important news stories supported by original source material. It places emphasis on the inquisitiveness of the media as an essential component of ensuring stronger democracies “in all society's institutions, including government, corporations and other organisations” (WikiLeaks, 2010). Recent controversies surrounding WikiLeaks’ actions highlight why this self-description is not universally accepted and why some believe WikiLeaks to be something more nefarious.

Although small and highly-dependent on volunteers, WikiLeaks has clearly illustrated the capability to deliver controversial stories of significance to a worldwide audience and to challenge established global power structures. Case in point is their release of nearly 400,000 secret US military documents covering the Iraq war. These documents identify more than 15,000 previously-unknown civilian Iraqi deaths and establish tacit acceptance by US and British forces of appalling human rights abuses by Iraqi security forces (Davies, Steele & Leigh, 2010). Release of this information created a firestorm of controversy culminating in the US military calling the actions “irresponsible” and asserting it jeopardized lives (DODvClips, 2010). WikiLeaks justifies its actions by invoking freedom of the press: the US Constitution’s first and arguably most important amendment that exists “so that the press would remain forever free to censure the Government” (New York Times Co. v. United States, 1971). Additionally, they claim to have instituted a harm-minimization policy, whereby individuals named in certain documents are forewarned of impending publication (Khatchadourian, 2010). At the same time, WikiLeaks acknowledges the potential for its members to get “blood on their hands” (Khatchadourian, 2010).

Julian Assange and Hacktivism

WikiLeaks’ principal spokesperson, Julian Assange, is a 39-year-old Australian national saddled with a troubled youth that resulted in “narrowly avoid[ing] prison after being convicted on 25 charges of computer hacking in 1995” (Burns & Somaiya, 2010). In reference to his 1995 convictions, Assange viewed himself as a journalist activist and, although very open about his hacker background, objects to stereotyping as a garden-variety hacker simply concerned with self-gain; instead, he intimates his hacker aspirations were always much nobler and that his character is defined by nurturing victims through “policing perpetrators of crime” (TED, 2010). Lead investigator on the case, Ken Day, described Assange as having “some altruistic motive. I think he acted on the belief that everyone should have access to everything” (Khatchadourian, 2010, p. 7). At sentencing the judge remarked, “There is just no evidence that there was anything other than sort of intelligent inquisitiveness [Italics added]” (Khatchadourian, 2010, p. 7). Inquisitiveness and victims’ rights are recurring and intertwined themes in Assange’s life.

Assange remains an extremely capable computer programmer with particular expertise in cryptography and encryption. He is credited with developing a tool to aid in plausible denial of encryption, called Rubberhose, for use by human rights workers and journalists to protect sensitive information (Walton, 2001; Baum, n.d.). He is widely credited with architecting the sophisticated and highly available information systems his organization uses as a shield against adversaries (Burns & Somaiya, 2010). It is difficult to decouple WikiLeaks from Assange; a point foremost in Assange’s mind when he states, “I am the heart and soul of this organization, its founder, philosopher, spokesperson, original coder, organizer, financier, and all the rest” (Burns & Somaiya, 2010). WikiLeaks is Julian Assange plus a group of followers.

Two important concepts emerge in the preceding profile of Assange—hacking and activism—that, when fused together, yield something referred to as hacktivism: “acts of civil disobedience and direct action […] carried out in the virtual realm of the Internet, where the ability to invent, modify and refine computer systems is exercised for political ends” (Lowes, 2006, p. 115).

Mainstream Hacktivist Advocacy Emerges

The worldview held by Assange and WikiLeaks begins to come into focus when one learns of the principles underpinning the hacktivist culture. Of particular interest are the tenets that impact journalism and the media: (a) access to information is a basic human right; (b) censorship constitutes a human rights violation, especially when combined with repressive, governing regimes; and (c) authority should be mistrusted and decentralization promoted (metac0m, 2003). The central battle for hacktivists is ensuring the free flow of information on the Internet (Jordan & Taylor, 2006) and, in simplest terms, WikiLeaks is most accurately viewed—not as a news agency or anonymous source for mainstream media but—as a media advocate of the ideologies espoused by the hacking counterculture.

Ultimately, WikiLeaks believes its work will lead to greater freedom of the press as it continues to provide information that other news organizations are unable to because of “curtailments on the press that are many and complex – be they economic or legal or fitting into the existing patronage structure or ownership of news organizations” (BBC News, 2010).

The power WikiLeaks now possesses has led many to question its moral position and to challenge the group to hold itself accountable by establishing a code of ethics. Among those calling for this is Stephen J. A. Ward, Director of the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who points out the need is especially true of WikiLeaks as it “has an opaque structure, a beguiling rhetoric, and is operated by advocates [Italics added]” (2010). Ward’s comments highlight a key consideration regarding WikiLeaks: advocacy.

Ethical Considerations

If WikiLeaks represents a new twist on an old idea and is, in fact, an advocacy group; is it then reasonable to accept they are free from ethical concerns? On the contrary, as an advocacy group, they remain compelled to develop and adhere to norms that are based on general moral principles shared by all human beings, such as respect for life on earth (Baker, 2009). Before exploring the likely ethical code adopted, but not explicitly expressed, by WikiLeaks, it is important to understand the challenge advocacy ethics present.

Advocacy ethics focus on the moral reasoning that provides balance between two key imperatives: obligation to client objectives and obligation to society. In an optimal scenario, advocacy allows the voices of special interest groups, such as hacktivists, to be heard and to contribute to informed and rational decision making (Baker, 2006). In a less-than-optimal scenario it contributes to the harming of individuals or society. Ultimately, advocacy does not exist in a vacuum and must, out of necessity, uphold the notion of truth by adhering to basic moral principles and by placing society’s interests first.

The Greater Good Argument

WikiLeaks clearly believes in freedom of the press as evidenced by the millions of secret documents they have released since 2007. It is reasonable to believe it also values right to life as its members do make an effort to redact portions of documents that are likely to endanger the lives of individuals (BBC News, 2010). It is worth noting that the redaction process represents a relaxing of the hacktivist ideal that censorship is unacceptable. Teasing this out further, WikiLeaks explicitly acknowledges there are legitimate secrets, such as personal medical records (TED, 2010). Presumably, the move away from hacktivist fundamentalism concerning censorship illustrates an understanding of the need for higher-order moral reasoning within the group. Pertinent to the discussion of higher-order moral reasoning is Kohlberg’s theory of moral development: A psychologically-based theory of social justice that applies at the macro level—that is, it applies to relations between institutions, ethnic groups, religions, and the like. The highest level, referred to as the postconventional level, is defined by establishment of universal ethical principles, rational appraisal of overall good associated with a decision, and questioning of what would best serve society (Coleman & Wilkins, 2006). Arguably, groups like WikiLeaks that pursue liberal political ideologies valuing freedom of thought (facilitated, of course, by freedom of speech) “are more attuned to postconventional thinking” (Coleman & Wilkins, 2006, p. 46). This does not imply superior moral behavior on the part of postconventional thinkers; rather, it follows that the processes associated with their moral reasoning are simply more sophisticated (Crain, 2005).

WikiLeaks’ Likely Ethical Code

What then is the ethical code of WikiLeaks? Although it remains somewhat opaque, it appears to be summed up as follows: (a) to varying degrees, governments and corporations are inherently oppressive and limit access to information to maintain power over society; (b) enabling access to information is paramount and an effective tool in curtailing oppression; (c) while rights of individuals are important, they are not absolute and may be violated to ensure access to information; and (d) reasonable steps are taken to minimize harm to individuals and violation of individual rights is weighed against the greater good to society.

WikiLeaks appears to be employing higher-order moral reasoning through consideration of overall good and society’s best interests; however, it remains to be seen whether this is actually facilitating moral behavior on the part of its members. The press is valued in our society, in part, because it imparts knowledge by giving information meaning. Context plays an important role in this and we have to challenge WikiLeaks to consider this as it advances the hacktivist ideal of free-flowing information. Perhaps, the ideal should be modified slightly to promote unfettered flow of knowledge and not simply information.

Thanks for reading and if you learned something, feel free to click on one of my sponsors as a token of your appreciation. If you don’t believe you gleaned even the tiniest tidbit of insight, you are still encouraged to click. ;-)

References

Baker, S. (2006). The Ethics of Advocacy: Moral Reasoning in the Practice of Public Relations. In L. Wilkins & C.G. Christians (Eds.), The Handbook of Mass Media Ethics. New York: Routledge.

Baum, S. (n.d.). RUBBERHOSE Review. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://iq.org/~proff/rubberhose.org/current/src/doc/review.html.

BBC News. (2010, October 23). WikiLeaks: Iraq war logs 'reveal truth about conflict' [Video file]. Retrieved November 26, 2010, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11612731.

Burns, J. F., & Somaiya, R. (2010, October 23). WikiLeaks Founder on the Run, Trailed by Notoriety. The New York Times (World). Retrieved November 26, 2010, from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/world/24assange.html?_r=1.

Coleman, R., & Wilkins, L. (2006). Moral Development: A Psychological Approach to Understanding Ethical Judgment. In L. Wilkins & C.G. Christians (Eds.), The Handbook of Mass Media Ethics. New York: Routledge.

Crain, W. C. (2005). Theories of Development: Concepts and Applications (Fifth Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Davies, N., Steele, J., & Leigh, D. (2010, October 22). Iraq War Logs: Secret Files Show How US Ignored Torture. In The Guardian (News, World news, Iraq: The war logs). Retrieved November 26, 2010, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/22/iraq-war-logs-military-leaks.

DODvClips. (2010, October 25). Pentagon WikiLeaks Reaction [Video file]. Retrieved November 26, 2010, from YouTube.com Web site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0PjnDM51Xw&playnext=1&list=PLEC6B9257769B13D0&index=10.

Jordan, T., & Taylor, P. A. (2004). Hacktivism and Cyberwars: Rebels with a cause? New York: Routledge.

Khatchadourian, R. (2010). No Secrets: Julian Assange’s Mission for Total Transparency. In The New Yorker (Reporting & Essays). Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/06/07/100607fa_fact_khatchadourian.

Lowes, D. E. (2006). The Anti-Capitalist Dictionary: Movements, Histories & Motivations. Fernwood Publishing Ltd.

metac0m. (2003). What Is Hacktivism? 2.0. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from The Hacktivist Web site: http://www.thehacktivist.com/whatishacktivism.pdf.

New York Times Co. v. United States. 403 U.S. 713. 1971.

TED. (2010). Julian Assange: Why the World Needs WikiLeaks. In Talks. Retrieved November 26, 2010, from TED Web site: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/julian_assange_why_
the_world_needs_wikileaks.html.

Walton, G. (2001). China’s Golden Shield: Corporations and the Development of Surveillance Technology in the People’s Republic of China. Canada: International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development.

Ward, S. J. A. (2010, August 24). How to Reveal Secrets. Retrieved November 26, 2010, from The Canadian Journalism Project Web site: http://www.j-source.ca/english_new/detail.php?id=5492.

WikiLeaks. (2010). About WikiLeaks. Retrieved November 26, 2010, from http://www.wikileaks.org/media/about.html.

Countering Unethical Internet Memes

2010-12-30T23:35:00.014-04:00

What is an Internet Meme?

In order to appreciate the notion of an unethical Internet meme, it is necessary to first understand the origin of the meme concept. The term meme was coined by Richard Dawkins in his seminal 1976 work The Selfish Gene. Dawkins is a formidable scholar in the fields of ethology and, in particular, evolutionary biology (Hooper, 2006). He describes a meme as “a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation” (Dawkins, 2006, p. 192) and postulates an analogue between memes and genes when stating that “anything that spreads by imitation, as genes spread by bodily reproduction or by viral infection, is a meme ” (Dawkins, 2000, p. 304). Other scholars have broached the topic of replicating units of culture. In 1998’s Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge, Edward O. Wilson cast aside his co-developed culturgen construct in favor of meme and proposed that “the unit of culture—now called meme—be the same as the node of semantic memory and its correlates in brain activity” (p. 148). Setting aside the ongoing debate about meme as a genetic analogy and meme as a neuroscience construct, it is reasonable to view a meme as a basic unit of culture, encapsulating ideas, symbols and practices; transmissible from one mind to another through mechanisms facilitating imitation, such as writing, speech, gestures, and rituals. Examples of memes include “good ideas, good tunes, good poems, as well as drivelling mantras” (Dawkins, 2000, p. 304). Interestingly, the concept of a meme is, by definition, a meme.

With this established, an Internet meme is simply “an idea, image, catchphrase or video that goes viral, mutating via amateur remixes into unexpected forms” (Gross, 2010). The MacMillan Dictionary describes it as “some kind of idea or piece of information that spreads very rapidly across a large number of Internet users” (Maxwell, 2010). Examples of Internet memes abound: viral YouTube videos, email hoaxes forwarded via email from person to person, fake eBay “for sale” listings, and an otherwise varied collection of unbounded inanity.

When Good Fun Goes Bad

Concerns arise when memes are used unethically: In one instance, what began in the real world when “a young woman’s small dog pooped on a train” (Solove, 2007, p. 1) quickly moved to cyberspace when pictures of her and the incident made their way to a blog and, ultimately, resulted in her dropping out of university due to invasion of privacy and the ensuing public shaming and embarrassment (Solove, 2007).

While the story of Dog Poop Girl highlights the very tangible impact an Internet meme can have on an individual, other Internet memes cast an even wider and potentially more harmful shadow. Case in point, the “You Gonna Get Raped” (known by the acronym YGGR) meme is a particularly salient illustration of the very real impact one ill-advised meme can have on an individual and a larger group of people. YGGR is a catchphrase and image macro used to convey creepiness or intimidation, albeit in a playful manner (Know Your Meme, 2009). The imagery associated with this meme features an African-American male, believed to be William Todd, who at the time of agreeing to have his picture taken for America’s Refuse: Homeless in the Heartland, was a chronically unemployed, homeless drug addict. One particularly unsettling image from the photo shoot made its way to the comedy website Something Awful with the aforementioned tagline (Know Your Meme, 2009). The results were catastrophic for Todd; he was purportedly fired from his job as a supervisor at a newspaper after the meme infected his employer’s environment (LiveJournal, 2006). In addition to the impact on Todd, it negatively impacted society by reinforcing stereotypes associated with African-American men, particularly those that are homeless. A check of Google Insights For Search with the terms “yggr” and “you gonna get raped” shows the lifespan of this particular meme: It has been spreading since early 2004 with 2011 projections equal to or exceeding those realized in 2004. The veracity of the story underpinning this particular meme is of little consequence; clearly it is a powerful replicator that possesses longevity.

The Internet as Fertile Ground for Memes

This, of course, begs the question: What makes for a successful Internet meme? As with a garden-variety meme, it’s a function of the interplay of three variables: (a) copying-fidelity: the closer the copy is to the original, the more that remains of the original meme; (b) fecundity: the faster the rate of replication, the more the meme will spread; and (c) longevity: the longer a copy persists, the more copies can be made of it (Dawkins, 2006). In the case of the Internet we have an environment that maximizes the creation of high-fidelity copies at a very high rate. Ubiquitous technologies such as email; Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds; and instant messaging services, such as Twitter, facilitate fast and exact meme replication on a massive scale. In the case of the third variable, longevity, the Internet provides long-term persistence potential through search engine retrieval of memes stored in web pages and a host of other web-based technologies.

Delving deeper, beyond the meme-friendly attributes of the Internet as medium, is there something innate in the Internet and how humans experience it that makes it fertile ground for memes of an unethical nature? (Examples of unethical memes could include those that promote intolerance, constitute hate speech, promote criminal activity, and engage in deception in order to obfuscate truth.) The answer is clearly yes and the reasons, I propose, are rooted in (a) well-established cognitive biases; (b) tendency of the Internet to promote deindividuation; and (c) information overload associated with the Internet’s volume of information. Let’s explore the relationships between these.

The availability heuristic involves basing the estimated probability of an event on the ease with which relevant instances come to mind (Weiten, 2004, p. 325). Perusal of YouTube for a “9/11 conspiracy theory proof” yields slightly more than 1600 hits, while fewer than 1300 hits emerge when looking for “9/11 conspiracy theory debunked”. Without critically appraising the arguments for and against, the number of videos supporting the conspiracy theory may tend to exaggerate one’s view of the improbable.

Stereotypes are widely held beliefs that people have certain characteristics because of their membership in a particular group (Weiten, 2004, p. 649). The YGGR meme described earlier is a powerful representation of racial and class stereotyping that gains significant traction if one rejects the subject as a member of “an ingroup—a group that one belongs to and identifies with” (Weiten, 2004, p. 651).

The just-world phenomenon is the tendency to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get (Myers & Spencer, 2006, p. 428). Real-life examples of people who got what they deserved through Internet shaming abound. Solove’s account of The Star Wars Kid serves as a prime example (2007). The incessant harassment—driven by a rampant Internet meme—and resulting trauma, necessitating psychiatric care, highlight how “observing a person being victimized is enough to make the victim seem less worthy” (Myers & Spencer, 2006, p. 428).

The aforementioned cognitive biases are heightened by the anonymous, pseudonymous and, ultimately, deindividuating nature of the Internet that makes “one less self-conscious and more responsive to cues present in the situation” (Myers & Spencer, 2006, p. 254). In turn, these powerful forces are exacerbated by what Alvin Toffler calls information overload: interference with our ability to think rationally due to cognitive overstimulation stemming from novel or fast and irregularly changing situations (1984).

Counter-Measures

Is it possible to counter the innate nature of the Internet as a breeding ground for unethical memes? The answer is yes and the following are likely contributors:

Critical thinking skills. Development of critical thinking skills through education promotes rational thought and is a powerful tool in countering the effects of unethical memes. Additionally, it enables development of higher-order moral reasoning as defined by Kohlberg’s postconventional stage (Wilkins & Christians, 2009).
Public discourse and education. Open discussion on the topic educates people on the finer points of the problem and serves to prepare them for future exposure. As the saying goes, “forewarned is forearmed.”
Reduced anonymity. It begins by enhancing the Internet’s human element; that is, the layer of the Internet that focuses on human beings. This is gaining traction through development of a Social Semantic Web which, among other things, challenges anonymity through access to “personal and professional information about people” (Breslin, Passant & Decker, 2009, p. 279). As a possible harbinger of anonymity’s status, media monolith Thomson Reuters recently banned anonymous comments on its website, citing concerns over “repetition, taste, or legal risk” (Wright, 2010).
Counter-memes. A counter-meme involves the generation of a meme aimed at neutralizing another meme. They are reactionary in nature and akin to fighting fire with fire. They appear to have at least some impact as portrayed in Mike Godwin’s amusing account of the development of Godwin’s Law (2004). Godwin’s Law asserts that “[a]s an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one” (2004). Godwin noted a reduction in the number of references to fascism and Nazi-like ideas on the message boards he frequented after releasing his counter-meme.

The Expectation of Maturation

The Internet is changing rapidly as a mass media tool and with that process comes the expectation of maturation—maturation of the underlying technologies and, most importantly, the laws and ethical frameworks that seek to constrain it.

The challenge is to find an equilibrium between the freedom of speech rightfully afforded media on the Internet while nurturing growth of an environment that values honesty and ethical behavior.

References

Breslin, J. G., Passant, A., & Decker, S. (2009). The Social Semantic Web. Springer-Verlag.

Dawkins, R. (2000). Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company

Dawkins, R. (2006). The Selfish Gene (30^th Anniversary Edition). New York: Oxford University Press.

Godwin, M. (2004). Meme, Counter-meme. In Wired (Issue 2.10). Retrieved November 6, 2010, from http://wired.com/wired/archive/2.10/godwin.if_pr.html.

Gross, M. (2010). A Baby Photo Becomes an Internet Meme. The New York Times (Fashion & Style). Retrieved November 5, 2010, from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/fashion/16meme.html.

Hooper, S. (2006). The rise of the 'New Atheists'. Retrieved November 5, 2010, from CNN.com Web site: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/11/08/atheism.feature/index.html.

Know Your Meme (2009). You Gonna Get Raped. In Memes. Retrieved November 5, 2010, from http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/you-gonna-get-raped.

LiveJournal (2006). The Rest of the Story: William Todd. In Stupidis Journal. Retrieved November 5, 2010, from http://stupidis.livejournal.com/121361.html.

Maxwell, K. (2010). Meme. MacMillan Dictionary (BuzzWord Archive). Retrieved November 5, 2010, from http://www.macmillandictionary.com/buzzword/entries/meme.html.

Myers, D. G., & Spencer, S. J. (2006). Social Psychology (Third Canadian Edition). McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Solove, D. J. (2007). The Future of Reputation. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Toffler, A. (1984). Future Shock. Random House of Canada.

Weiten, W. (2004). Psychology Themes and Variations (6^th Edition). Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing.

Wilkins, L. & Christians, C. G. (Eds.) (2009). Handbook of Mass Media Ethics. New York: Rutledge.

Wilson, E. O. (1998). Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge. Toronto: Random house of Canada Limited.

Wright, D. (2010). Toward a more thoughtful conversation on stories. In For the Record: Dean Wright on Ethics, Innovation, and Values. Retrieved November 6, 2010, from http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/.

Internet Theft Providers?

2008-02-10T16:43:00.001-04:00

"Every poet is a thief," whispered U2's Bono in the sonic masterpiece, “The Fly.” According to U2's manager, Paul McGuiness, so is every Internet Service Provider (ISP).

During a keynote speech at the MIDEM music conference, McGuiness expressed displeasure with the reduced quality of the current lossy digital music formats; questioned the trustworthiness of record companies; and railed extensively against ISPs who fail to prevent the transmission of illegal music files across their networks. While McGuiness' address was, by all accounts, passionate and well-received by the audience of music managers; ultimately, it revealed a flawed and – most importantly – dangerous view that ISPs are obligated to police the world's citizens. Let’s explore why this is pure fallacy.

ISPs Are Not Akin to Magazine Publishers

McGuiness compares ISPs to magazine publishers and posits, "If you were a magazine advertising stolen cars, handling the money for stolen cars and seeing to the delivery of stolen cars, the police would soon be at your door." While his claim is most assuredly true, it's a non sequitur in relation to the problem of ISPs and pirated music. ISPs are not akin to magazine publishers. They do not derive their revenue from content; rather, they simply provide a mechanism for delivering content to subscribers. A much better analogy would be to liken ISPs to couriers, or even the postal service, as they are in the business of delivering content to subscribers. In other words, they deliver the magazine to your door; they do not publish the magazine. No rational person would consider holding UPS accountable for unknowingly delivering a bunch of stolen CDs, would they? Additionally, no rational person would expect UPS to examine every parcel to determine its legality.

Success Does Not Heighten One's Moral Obligation

McGuiness goes on to infer that, because many ISPs are successful, they should be compelled to share their wealth with the music industry – specifically, the artists. He requests that ISPs "make a genuine effort to share the enormous revenues." He goes on to claim that "their snouts have been in our trough for too long." What exactly is Mr. McGuiness proposing? If indeed ISPs are aiding in the theft of intellectual property, why would he request that they share the proceeds of the crime? If a crime has been committed then the perpetrators should simply be brought to justice. Why ask to share in the proceeds of a clear-cut crime? Of course, the answer is that no clear crime has been committed and that what is inferred is that the success of the ISPs coupled with images of starving musicians should somehow guilt the ISPs into sharing their wealth. The logic of this argument quickly evaporates as morality is surely not governed by success.

Treatment of Intellectual Property is Not Globally Homogeneous

An undercurrent of assumed homogeneity exists throughout much of the McGuiness speech with respect to Intellectual Property (IP). Clearly, Mr. McGuiness believes strongly in IP rights. Unfortunately, there is no well-defined, single "standard" regarding IP in developing nations or, for that matter, in developed nations of this world. Expecting ISPs, many of whom would transmit IP to and from a variety of nations, to enforce the cornucopia of applicable copyrights is simply not feasible. The question of feasibility is a terrific segue into the next flaw in Mr. McGuiness' position: Technical limitations.

Technical Limitations Equal Inability to Police

ISPs carry a variety of data: some appears as readable text; some appears as gibberish due to obfuscation; some originates in countries with stringent IP protection; and some originates in developing countries with virtually no defined protections for IP. What's a poor ISP to do? Should the ISP invest copious amounts of money attempting to crack encrypted data looking for "illegal" MP3s? What about protection of personal privacy? Should an ISP be allowed to rummage through personal information, looking for something that appears to be in violation of an IP law? How do we distinguish personal from pirated? How would an ISP accurately determine if the MP3 you're retrieving from your online data store is pirated or simply a legal copy you made for personal use under the fair dealing doctrine common to many Commonwealth Nations? Of course, the answer is they could not accurately determine any of these things and, most importantly, they could not attempt any of this without violating personal privacy laws in a multitude of countries. Without massive structural changes to the Internet, the technical limitations are such that the ISPs could not effectively police content passing through their networks, even if they wanted to. (Believe me, they do want to; as peer-to-peer (P2P) file exchange, the most frequently used mechanism for sharing pirated content, is threatening to overwhelm networks.) However, in actuality, network strain caused by P2P is a separate issue from piracy. When all is said and done, enforcement of the law must be left to – you guessed it – the police.

Much has been written and said about how the entertainment industry, especially the music business, has changed because of the digital revolution. New models for delivering content are appearing at regular intervals. Some of them, such as Apple's iTunes and YouTube appear to be viable; while others do not. Individuals and corporations that do not understand the fundamental shift which has taken place – and continues unabated – are doomed to extinction. “Now you're stuck in a moment and you can't get out of it” lamented Mr. McGuiness’ favourite client back in 2000. It’s now 2008 and it's time to get unstuck, Mr. McGuiness.

Thanks for reading and if you learned something, feel free to click on one of my sponsors as a token of your appreciation. If you don’t believe you gleaned even the tiniest tidbit of insight, you are still encouraged to click. ;-)

The End of an Era

2008-01-27T15:58:00.000-04:00

Back in early 1991 I bought a pair of black Air Jordan VI sneakers. This was back when I played basketball and the Bulls were reigning supreme. I had just graduated with a shiny new BSc(CS) degree from the University of New Brunswick and barely had two cents to rub together. As Dickens wrote, "it was the best of times; it was the worst of times." Given that, the obvious thing to do was to frivolously waste what little money I had on a pair of overpriced and over-hyped kicks. So I went ahead and did the obvious.

I wore my Jordans with pride to many a game of pickup ball: indoors, outdoors, in the rain and even occasionally in the snow. As time marched on -- as time is wont to do -- my Jordans were relegated to the dusty confines of my closet. And so they sat ... for years and years ... until, in January of 2008, I decided to throw them on for a game of one-on-one with my ten-year-old son.

What happened next is best described by saying that as I was going in one direction; my shoes – or least portions of my shoes – were not. The end result: The soles of my Jordans separated from the rest of the shoe and I was left wearing MJ’s slippers!

You had to be there to really appreciate the visuals associated with this. I was dumbstruck for the first few seconds. Then I realized what had happened and decided we had to take some pictures.

Air Jordan, the player, has long since retired. Well actually, to be precise, he’s retired three times. But in any case, my Air Jordan’s are now officially retired and, unlike their namesake, won’t be making even one comeback. R.I.P., dear AJs...

Thanks for reading and if you learned something, feel free to click on one of my sponsors as a token of your appreciation. If you don’t believe you gleaned even the tiniest tidbit of insight, you are still encouraged to click. ;-)

2007 Fall Classic

2007-09-29T22:36:00.000-03:00

As some of you may know, I’ve been training since May in hopes of completing a 10K road race. Back in May I was sure I would implode after a few KMs into a quivering mass of blood, sweat and the odd tear – assuming I still had enough fluids to produce a tear. Well, I was wrong.

Contrary to my worst fears, I managed to complete the race. I finished 92nd out of 121 runners in a time of 55:42; bettering my goals of a top-100 finish and a sub-sixty-minute performance.

As you may have guessed, I’m tickled pink. Prior to May, I viewed running as an uninspiring pursuit that would eventually leave you with worn-out knees and shin splints. Of course, while all that is true, it’s equally true that running is incredible exercise that generates a host of benefits: weight loss, increased lung capacity, improved temperament and a “runner’s high” that can become quite addictive. In fact, according to a report at CNN, the euphoric feeling some runners feel after moderate exercise is caused by cannabinoids – a naturally-produced substance known to “produce sensations that are similar to those of THC, the psychoactive property in marijuana.” This new theory runs counter to conventional wisdom that the runner’s high is produced by the release of endorphins. Whatever the cause, the results are one of the nice benefits to running.

More information on the Fall Classic may be found at http://www.fallclassic.ca/.

Thanks for reading and if you learned something, feel free to click on one of my sponsors as a token of your appreciation. If you don’t believe you gleaned even the tiniest tidbit of insight, you are still encouraged to click. ;-)

Mt. Jefferson, NH (2007-08-10)

2007-08-14T22:13:00.000-03:00

My wife and I began a quest to hike all the mountains in New England above 5000 ft. back in 2003 with our ascent of Mt. Lincoln in New Hampshire. Since that time, we’ve managed to eke out enough time to summit nine of the eleven 5000-footers.

Number nine on the list was Mt. Jefferson.

For those not well-versed on the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Mt. Jefferson is the third highest peak within the Whites. According to most reports it stands 5712 ft. above sea level; however, it is occasionally reported as being 5716 ft. Whatever the case, it’s one of the taller mountains on the eastern seaboard of the United States and offers a ridiculously short ascent thanks to an automobile-accessible trailhead that sends you on your way a full 3000 feet above sea level.

Having hiked many other mountains that necessitated us rolling out of bed at ungodly hours like 4am, we were pleased to begin our hike at the unusually civilized time of 9am. The trailhead parking lot was virtually empty when we arrived but steadily added vehicles as we prepped, reassuring us we wouldn’t be all alone in the big bad woods. We set off for the peak via the Caps Ridge Trail, a 2.5 mile “expressway” to the top.

Early on we had the opportunity to catch a few distant glimpses of the Cog Railway that ascends Mt. Washington, Mt. Jefferson’s bigger and more popular neighbour. At about the one-mile mark we encountered one of the more interesting features of the trek: a series of potholes in what appeared to be glacial boulders. Our progress continued relatively unimpeded until we came upon a section of the trail which required some serious scrambling and a lot of huffing and puffing. This section of the trail, which occurs at about the 1.5-mile mark, is challenging and highlights that the trail is not especially well-marked. Continuing our journey, we soon arrived at the intersection of the Caps Ridge Trail and The Cornice Trail. After a respite of about 15 minutes, we trudged up the last 0.4 miles towards the summit. At this point the yellow blaze on the trail became virtually non-existent and we had to rely on the cairns to guide us. Unfortunately, many of the cairns were so small as to be impossible to spot. The end result was that we ended up off the trail amongst the scrubs. This ticked me off to no end and prompted me to take the time to build up a few of the smaller cairns during our descent.

After arriving at the summit, we made it official by touching the pin used to identify the official peak. Interestingly, the pin did not bear the official USGS seal commonly found on many of the other peaks in the Whites. The summit afforded spectacular views in all directions; including Mt. Washington, Mt. Adams and the parking lot at the Caps Ridge Trailhead.

The roundtrip journey took 6 hours and 20 minutes to complete, with about an hour and twenty minutes of break time. We thoroughly enjoyed the day and would recommend this route to anyone looking for a relatively short, but challenging, hike up Mt. Jefferson.

Thanks for reading and if you feel you learned something, feel free to click on one of my sponsors as a token of your appreciation. If you don’t believe you gleaned even the tiniest tidbit of insight, you are still encouraged to click. ;-)

Project Management vs. Operational Management

2007-05-22T17:31:00.000-03:00

Project management is a trying and taxing profession at the best of times. Projects are often an exercise in frustration management as it seems there is always someone who is unhappy with the project – and by extension – unhappy with you, the project manager. Lately I’ve noticed that a lot of the conflict stems from the intersection of two distinct groups: the project team and day-to-day operations. When these two worlds collide, the results are often spectacular and violent.

In order to turn the violent collisions into something more akin to a gentle nudge, you may want to consider the following before embarking on a major project within an organization that is not well-versed in the coexistence of projects and operations.

#1: Finite vs. Infinite

Part of the problem stems from the differing long-term goals of the two groups. Projects are designed to come to a timely conclusion. Period. Hopefully they conclude on time, within the established budget and according to the defined scope and quality benchmarks. But they always end. On the other hand, the day-to-day operations of an organization can theoretically go on forever. It’s a case of finite versus infinite.

It’s essential that the people involved in a project have a mindset that reflects the sense of urgency that must accompany a successful project.

#2: Organization Structure

If your organization is hierarchical in structure, with numerous layers of bureaucracy, you’re in for a rough ride trying to implement your project. Projects tend to run smoother in a strong-matrix type of structure where the project manager has the ability to make quick and meaningful decisions without constantly running through an obstacle course of bureaucracy.

If it’s not possible to move from a hierarchical to matrix type of organization – and probably it isn’t – then you should strongly consider forming a steering committee with representation from the various operational units within your organization. Key to making this work is ensuring you have the right people representing the correct units. Determining who the right people are is a real challenge. Looking beyond titles, you need to identify who actually gets things done within a unit. Target those people for membership on the committee.

#3: Transitioning Resources or Robbing Peter to Pay Paul

If your project is going to make use of human resources borrowed from operational units, you need to discuss the following with the operational managers:

Is the operational unit sufficiently staffed to function on a reduced complement or is backfilling of resources required?
What are the acceptable timelines for secondment of the resources to the project?
What happens to the resource when an operational emergency occurs? Does the operational emergency take precedence over the project with respect to the resource’s time or should the operational manager ensure an acceptable contingency plan exists that does not necessitate recalling the resource?
Who does the resource deal with for items such as reviews, promotions and pay increases while seconded to the project?
What’s the plan for dealing with the resource once the project ends and the resource returns to the operational unit? Will the resource happily return to his/her previous job or will they be moving into a new role as a result of involvement in the project?

In trying to answer these questions, you’ll uncover some interesting insights into how your organization works. Ensuring you have workable agreements with the operational managers before beginning projects guards against the age-old problem of having to “rob Peter to pay Paul.”

Thanks for reading and if you feel you learned something, feel free to click on one of my sponsors as a token of your appreciation. If you don’t believe you gleaned even the tiniest tidbit of insight, you are still encouraged to click. ;-)

(c)

Blast Off!

2007-05-21T12:03:00.000-03:00

Well, at long last, here it is: my blog. I've considered creating a blog for quite some time and finally mustered up the gumption to do it. I have no idea what I'll write about. Well, actually I do have a few ideas. The real question is whether I'll actually follow through on those ideas. Stay tuned...