NationStates Jolt Archive


Internet Standards Act

The Popotan
07-04-2008, 22:10
NOTING the increased penetration of high speed internet across the globe

FURTHER NOTING many countries still have disparity in various regions based on population and economic income

WORRYING that continued haphazard spread of global high speed access will leave millions in the dust

ALARMED that many nations do not laws preventing double dipping by companies being able to charge both the user and the provider for the same service

ALARMED that this has resulted in the past with cooperate or governmental controlled bottlenecking and that unchecked this will eventually lead to the same

NOTING as well that every year more and more sites have higher and higher bandwidth loads required to speedy viewing

RECOGNIZING not everyone uses the internet

ARGUING though that the lack of

EMPHASIZING that, like the telephone before to all of society ,from personal, business and government, and that a lack of any of this will greatly inhibit all sectors of a society.

DECLARES:

ARTICLE I

1. Sets up the ISC (Internet Standards Committee) to regulate and make certain all WA member countries comply with this act.

a. Gives power to the ICS to enforce these standards by the use of fines.

b. Requires the ICS to give a short, but adequete, time frame for implementation of any new standards.

c. Allows the ICS to set up a temporary tax to get all member nations up to the standards set by the ICS if adequete funding for the government or through governmental or private donations is not enough.

i. Such a tax must have a targeted goal

ii. Once the goal is met, the tax must be abolished.

iii. The ICS is required before setting up a tax to see if the government can pay for it or, if not, solicit for donations in order to not burden the WA membership as whole if possible.

2. All WA member nations are to promote the spread of high-speed internet access to all areas of their country by whatever means they feel best suited for the region

3. All citizens, cooperations, government agencies, NGOs and other such groups are guaranteed the right to have reliable, affordable high-speed internet access.

4. Requires all countries make their network compatible with all other nations to ensure a complete network.

5. Requires nations to build in enough redundancies barring a national emergency, as defined in article 2, coverage should be provided to everyone at all times.

6. Allows the ISC to set a minimum speed which countries are allow to have.

ARTICLE II

1. Prevents discrimination of bandwidth sharing except in times of emergency and only for the appropriate governmental and NGO organizations

a. An emergency is defined by major natural disaster that destroyed a huge section of infrastructure or an attack on the area by a terrorist, rebellious or outside force.

b. In all cases, local hospitals, firefighters and law enforcement are granted priority permission for bandwidth use. In the event of an attack or if local law enforcement isn't enough, the military is also given priority.

2. Removes any artificial limit to amount of service provided within a given time frame.

3. Bans discrimination based upon the amount of bandwidth used, except for costs where such economic models allow for pricing based upon bandwidth transfer.

a. Such models may included uploaded and downloaded content

b. Such models may not discriminate on the type of content downloaded or uploaded.

ARTICLE III

1. Grants immunity to providers as long as they follow all existing laws from lawsuits based upon content their users upload or download.

2. Allows companies to ban access to criminal sites as defined by their country or WA.

3. Prevents companies from releasing to any company, any information unless it is in regard to a criminal investigation and only such information that is relevant.

ARTICLE IV

1. Allows media companies, such as those that produce music, videos, video or computer games, business or home applications, and traditional media, such as books, and journals, to enter a voluntary system of revenue sharing in compensation for any illegally downloaded content.

a. Because of it's international nature, enforcement of this section will come under the purview of the ISC.

b. A small tax shall be placed upon all users of high-speed internet for the sole purpose of reparations due to the inevitable effects of piracy.

i. All private households shall be charged a 1 cent per day, or equivalent, tax irregardless of pricing structure of the provider.

ii. All organizations shall be charged shall be charged on a sliding scale set up by the ISC, but based around the size scale of an average household for determining the most appropriate price scheme.

c. Companies may voluntarily join or leave this, but certain restrictions apply to their conduct

i. Before entering and after leaving there is a 90 day period where they may not pursue any activities related to priacy. This is setup to specifically disallow exploitive use of opting in and out of the program when convent.

ii. While in this program and during the grace periods after filing for admission and leaving, companies are prohibited from taking any action against piracy, except for such action as going after someone who profits from the sale or distribution of pirated goods.

iii. revenue sharing will be based upon the total income collected and the sales figures of the item. For print publications, the revue sharing shall be lessened due to the change in nature of format and it's implied change of medium.

iv. A minimum level of compensation will be granted to all members if they chose not to reveal sales figures.

v. Companies will not need to prove piracy happens to get compensation as the ISC assumes this is a given due to the ease and breadth of the internet.

b. Companies may continue to use anti-piracy methods while receiving revenue.

2. The revenue sharing program shall be completely voluntary.

3. Nations are prohibited from joining this organization, only private entities are allowed.

4. Companies may not attempt to force intellectual property rights guarantees upon member nations that do not believe in them.

5. Companies failing to comply with Article III, section 1, pargraph b, statement ii shall be required to pay back all compensation and barred forever from the program.

ARTICLE IY

1. Non-WA member states may petition the ICS at any time for the standards set forth by it or any future plans in accordance to make their network compliant.

2. Private companies who's headquarters are located in non-WA member state are ineligible for the revenue sharing program set forth by Article III.

3. Private companies who's headquarters are located inside a WA member state are required to follow those laws throughout the company.
This one i realize needs some work.
Decapod Ten
07-04-2008, 22:33
ok, im sorry for doing this, because it is just really annoying. but since i know nothing about computers or the internet (except basic literacy) i have no position to comment on this proposal. so without further ado, the annoying part:

hey Frisbeeteria, i jsut got proven wrong again, somebody might write a tax into a proposal!
Frisbeeteria
07-04-2008, 22:56
The usual comments:

What category? What strength / effect?

It's also about double the allowable length. Can you trim it down under 3500 characters and still say what you need to say?
The Popotan
08-04-2008, 04:16
The usual comments:

What category? What strength / effect?

It's also about double the allowable length. Can you trim it down under 3500 characters and still say what you need to say?
That's where I need some help.

As for category, it's industry, specifically tort reform.

As for strength i would have to say signifigant in that it would set minimum standards and require countries to abide them through legislative force. The section on piracy could be moved out, possibly, because it doesn't directly deal with this, but parts of article 4 deal with it, plus it uses the same body, the ICS. I specifically added that section in an attempt to head off the "but what about all the pirates!!!"
Gobbannium
09-04-2008, 03:08
Advancement of Industry has a subcategory, not a strength. I've got to say I'm not seeing how it's Tort Reform; "Removes legal barriers from anti-corporate litigation, reducing government interference in business" doesn't seem like a good description of what's going on here.

--
Cerys Coch, Permanent Undersecretary
The Popotan
09-04-2008, 22:44
Tort reform because it levels the playingfield for all busineesses and promotes trade. You can be Joe Shmoe just starting up a company or a big multi-national corperation and it will make it so the latter cannot get better bandwidth just because they are bigger, unless they pay a premium. It means that Joe Shmoe can at least have people be able to visist his site and check up on his products/services without being artifically slowed down by a company.

It also affects in a similar method things such a political speech and what not. Country's can still block sites out if they violate their laws, but wouldn't be able to do anything if someone was saying something unpopular, but legal, ie forcing people who go to the site to take hours to download stuff.

On the consumer end, it would guarantee everyone who accesses the site they aren't going to be shafted because company X decides it's going to shaft it's consumers to get more money by artifically throttling their speed or simply not offering cheap high-speed connections, to indivisuals or businesses.

It also will mean for industry and government the better ability to offer virtual products and services online as well. Want to check the latest footage from your son stationed somewhere else, in full screen resolution so it's almost like you're there? Want to check out the new movie just released today, but you don't want to go out and buy it because you only will watch it once and don't want to drive? Want to send that footage you just edited several thousand miles away and be there before the day ends?

I could not figure out a better section to place this. As said, this isn't posted because I need help in shortening it (but still getting the same meaning across), figuring out where to place it because it seems we have some disagreement, and just general working to make it better.
Flibbleites
10-04-2008, 01:51
Tort reform because it levels the playingfield for all busineesses and promotes trade.The problem is, that's not what tort reform is. Tort reform deals with lawsuits, this does not.

Bob Flibble
WA Representative
The Popotan
10-04-2008, 04:23
Please then, by all means, make a suggestion....
SuozziLand
10-04-2008, 06:10
Dear Popotan,

With your permission, I would like to have my Public Policy Minister and my diplomats look through your proposal to help trim it down and propose a revised version to you. We would like your permission in doing this because we do not want to insult you by posting a revised version on your thread. It would be entirely up to you whether or not we do this. If Suozziland prepares a revised version, we will not propose it to the World Assembly on your behalf. That will be up to you to propose with Suozziland as a co-sponsor. Suozziland believes that even if you do not except our revised version in its entirety, it would be a positive step in moving forward to bounce proposals back and forth until a solid piece of legislation is hammered out. Please provide us with an answer as soon as possible, as to whether or not you would like us to do this.

Sincerely,

King Ralph
Suozziland Executive
The Popotan
10-04-2008, 22:27
The ambassador gives a respectful bow to King Ralph of Suozziland in exchange for his attempt to help. "Please do. The Popotan would welcome your co-sponsorship to the proposal. If you think it may be better to split it into 2 proposals, I would welcome that input as well, though would like the passage of both as I believe that this measure is greater as a whole than the sum of its parts."

He gave another respectful bow, "We of The Dominion of The Popotan await your results."
SuozziLand
11-04-2008, 03:08
Fiber Optics Internet Act

NOTING the increased penetration of high speed internet across the globe.

FURTHER NOTING, the Nuclear Proliferation of many World Assembly Member Nations as well as Non-Member Nations

WORRYING that a nuclear detonation above any World Assembly Member Nation could send out an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) that could destroy or severely damage communications between members of the World Assembly.

FURTHER NOTING, the importance of World Assembly Member-Nations to communicate.

DECLARES the following to be the policy of the World Assembly:

1. The World Assembly shall set up a High Speed Internet Committee to require that the World Assembly Member Nations have high speed fiber optics internet systems with a minimum upload speed of 2200 kbps and a minimum download speed of 4500 kbps

2. Member-Nations must have fiber optic internet systems that are immune to EMPs

3. The High Speed Internet Committee shall be responsible for advising in negotiations between many of the World’s Corporations and the various World Assembly Member Governments on the construction and costs of such systems.

4. Member nations may exercise any bidding process they desire in the construction of a fiber optics internet system.

5. Any such fiber optics internet systems shall be compatible with the complete network of the World Assembly.


I tried to help. I hope you like this.
The Popotan
11-04-2008, 16:17
I have done a cursory glance over it. I might ammend it a bit requiring nations to install fiberoptics then to all areas of there country unless no one is living there or the local complete majority of population there wishes not to use it.
Charlotte Ryberg
12-04-2008, 08:29
Fiber Optics Internet Act

NOTING the increased penetration of high speed internet across the globe.

FURTHER NOTING, the Nuclear Proliferation of many World Assembly Member Nations as well as Non-Member Nations

WORRYING that a nuclear detonation above any World Assembly Member Nation could send out an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) that could destroy or severely damage communications between members of the World Assembly.

FURTHER NOTING, the importance of World Assembly Member-Nations to communicate.

DECLARES the following to be the policy of the World Assembly:

1. The World Assembly shall set up a High Speed Internet Committee to require that the World Assembly Member Nations have high speed fiber optics internet systems with a minimum upload speed of 2200 kbps and a minimum download speed of 4500 kbps

2. Member-Nations must have fiber optic internet systems that are immune to EMPs

3. The High Speed Internet Committee shall be responsible for advising in negotiations between many of the World’s Corporations and the various World Assembly Member Governments on the construction and costs of such systems.

4. Member nations may exercise any bidding process they desire in the construction of a fiber optics internet system.

5. Any such fiber optics internet systems shall be compatible with the complete network of the World Assembly.


I tried to help. I hope you like this.

Fibre optics sounds attractive to me, but perhaps it can be potentially expensive.
Serra Avatar
12-04-2008, 14:36
"I'd like to comment on some of the points here. Clause 5 requires that internet systems should be compatible. In the first place, you couldn't connect to the internet if your system is not compatible."
2. Member-Nations must have fiber optic internet systems that are immune to EMPs "Fiber optic cables are laid out in submarine cables all around the world. it's the reason why internet flourished and it wouldn't be affected by EMPs since it's just glass hence it is also called the glass network.

The only vulnerable part would be those on the surface like satellite relay stations/towers which would still be vulnerable to conventional weapons. even if it gets EMP'd, what's an immune tower gonna do to communicate within the nation when all of the other equipments are busted? just a thought."

"who're you talking to? shut that thing down Mr. Samuels"

"sir? wait don't cut me off!" ....silence...

John Samuels, National Telecommunications Center
Bergelland
12-04-2008, 15:34
Altough we believe in the good intentions of this proposal, we cannot support it. It is a known fact that telecommunication networks in many nations, including Bergelland, are controlled mostly by private companies. Forcing them to offer nationwide coverage regardless of demand is, at the very least, a bad idea.

I would also like to quote a section of article III that reads as follow:
2. Allows companies to ban access to criminal sites as defined by their country or WA.
This section is a blatant infringement upon freedom of speech and cannot be supported by our government.

We also feel that it is unfair to place the burden of a 'piracy tax' on the users, regardless of how small the tax is.

Aya Shimizu
Head Ambassador for the World Assembly
Royal Council of Foreign Affairs
The Grand Principality of Bergelland
The Popotan
13-04-2008, 04:42
This proposal has been abandoned in favor of a modified version of SuozziLand's. SuozziLand is listed as a co-sponsor of the new proposal.