Thread by @jimkillock

Now @davidakaye explains how private surveillance tech needs to be restricted #ORGCon2019

Centralisation of Internet is causing problems of censorship says @davidakaye #ORGCon2019

Also gives huge authority to private companies to manage and adjudicate over public spaces #ORGCon2019

Now debates move to competition and breaking tech cos up. Would be good, but @davidakaye fears governments actually prefer centralisation #ORGCon2019

Moving onto content moderation and Myanmar 2012 on @davidakaye #ORGCon2019

Social media used to generate violence in Myanmar. @davidakaye says @Facebook knew incitement to violence was taking place, was prohibited and contributed to the genocide #ORGCon2019

Now in Ethiopia lid has come off repression and ethnic tensions exposed on platforms. How is @Facebook dealing with it? Not well, no game plan, looks like a business model of hate #ORGCon2019

Jennifer Robinson adds content trying. To protect against violence gets taken down #ORGCon2019

Lack of political knowledge of context, language; will never be sufficient as SF is managing the problems from afar says @davidakaye #ORGCon2019

Needs local accountability without handing company policy to government @davidakaye #ORGCon2019

Moving onto #rtbf

French authority trying to make #rtbf should apply globally; could this spark race to bottom? #ORGCon2019

Skepticism of #rtbf especially making Google decide on free expression vs privacy balance from @davidakaye #ORGCon2019

Reputation management companies driving the #rtbf takedowns says @davidakaye #ORGCon2019

How then do we regulate tech companies? #ORGCon2019

Legality, necessary for narrow purposes, before free expression restricted. Companies should assess their impact before enter markets @davidakaye #ORGCon2019

Companies must demonstrate the necessity of restrictions says @davidakaye #ORGCon2019

What about #onlineharms white paper @davidakaye asked? No formal response yet, he says. Biggest concerns are definition of harms – not enough to say this needs dealing with despite legality, when combined with fines. Very risky incentive to remove legitimate content #ORGCon2019

Authoritarian governments love the idea of vague notion of harms. What about 'social harm', etc. @davidakaye #ORGCon2019

Moving onto Julian Assange. @davidakaye highlights role of US Espionage Act: it has said that people doing things that are core newsgathering activities fall under it — especially relating to national security #ORGCon2019

Journalists in future will think twice about talking to and handling documents from sources in national security @davidakaye #ORGCon2019

Looking at artistic expression, digital security, surveillance and company accountability to not interfere with rights for rest of @davidakaye term of office #ORGCon2019 #orgcon19

The mandate is unpaid!