John, Alice I would add to your lecturers's statement: ".you need to be very, very worried". Or what else exactly would such an association serve except their self-interest? Yet the challenge is on regulators to watch the association. I guess non-profits like ISOC may have their work cut out to defend civil society interests against these kinds of business associations. But the statement "The Internet Association is dedicated to advancing public policy solutions to strengthen and protect an open, innovative and free Internet" gives me some hope, though I don't remember a business that really makes any customer king beyond its own interests! Regards, Vika From: John Kariuki <ngethe.kariuki2007@yahoo.co.uk> Reply-To: John Kariuki <ngethe.kariuki2007@yahoo.co.uk> Date: Friday 03 August 2012 7:32 AM To: Vika Mpisane <vika@zadna.org.za> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Internet Giants form new Lobbying Group - Internet Association Alice, Listers My ICT regulatory class lecturer once told us: " If you see market players,who should be competing(read -fighting) seating together and agreeing on the way forward(read-pursuing common self-interest),then as a regulator or consumer,you need to be worried!" Enjoy, John Kariuki From: "alice@apc.org" <alice@apc.org> To: ngethe.kariuki2007@yahoo.co.uk Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Friday, 3 August 2012, 7:00 Subject: [kictanet] Internet Giants form new Lobbying Group - Internet Association Google, Facebook, Amazon and eBay jointly formulated "Internet Association" beyond the likes of ISOC or any other group: About The Internet Association Source: http://internetassociation.orgthe/ Internet Association is the unified voice of the Internet economy, representing the interests of America's leading Internet companies and their global community of users. The Internet Association is dedicated to advancing public policy solutions to strengthen and protect an open, innovative and free Internet. Here is a more detailed article on the subject: http://www.itproportal.com/2012/07/26/google-facebook-ebay-amazon-join-other -leading-internet-companies-form-lobby-group/ _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ngethe.kariuki2007%40y ahoo.co.uk The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/vika%40zadna.org.za The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.