Subject: Re: [gaia] draft-irtf-gaia-alternative-network-deployments. Nicolas review #2 "global north" and "global south"

From: "Jose Saldana" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2016 15:54:57 +0200

Hi

> # Regarding point 3
> 
> "For the purpose of this document, a distinction between "global north"
and "global
> south" zones is made, highlighting the factors related to ICT ..."
> 
> Coming from the "global south" the approach reads like an
over-simplification. In
> many Latin American countries (which by the proposede definition are part
of that
> south) the legal debate is more advanced than in the north. Take Network
Neutrality
> for example, which is law at least in Chile and Argentina while many
northern
> countries are still debating it.
> Other examploes: Community Networks are considered as a special case in
> Argentina Digital law; Uruguay has an extensive long-running OLPC program,
> Argentina has one also (with more than 5.000.000 computers delivered to
every
> child studying in public schools)... There are many more examples of
policy in Latin
> America that are very poorly described by this over-simplification.
> There are also counter-examples regarding the Global North, where
legislation is
> actually hindering the realization of a Free Internet. Take the FCC ruling
which is
> now making router providers close their routers as one example[-1]. Or the
Gag
> Law in Spain [0] which would be unacceptable in many "global south"
countries.
> 
> The terms "global south/north" are actually not used in most of the
document so the
> whole definition seems overkill or out of place. Do a search for "global
south"
> outside the definitions to check this.
> If I were to decide, I'd replace Global South for the more standard
"Developing
> countries" (which is also ugly but does not need a long definition) in the
two or three
> places where the other term is used and just avoid the definition
altogether.

Well, in this case, I must say the terms "global north" and "global south"
were introduced as a consequence of the IRSG review (see point 1 in
http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/gaia/current/msg01059.html). In the
previous version we talked about "developing countries":
https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-irtf-gaia-alternative-network-deployments-
03

So if you want, we can discuss this in the list. I am not an expert, though.

> 
> On the other hand, citing some existing legal/regulatory best and worst
practices
> around the world could actually be an interesting addition to the
document.

I think this goes beyond the scope of the document. But it is just my
opinion.

Thanks,

Jose