The one duty we owe to history is to re-write it - Oscar Wilde
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MP is determined to get digital policy right
IN 2001, when Tom Watson, then 34, was first elected as the Labour MP for West Bromwich, he was a rarity - a Member of Parliament who grew up with computers. He was the first or second MP to have his own blog.
"In my adolescence we had the Sinclair ZX and the BBC Micro," he says. "As a young guy I was obsessed with coding." Alongside the computer in his family home in the West Midlands was politics.
"We discussed politics around the kitchen table as a boy. My family was all political, though not professionally." He did a degree in politics at Hull and then worked for the electrical and engineering union – "Still the best job I ever had" – and the Labour Party. When the West Midlands Rover factory was threatened with closure, he became involved with the government task force set up to try to stop it. And then, because he knew the people and had a political background, when the MP for West Bromwich announced he would stand down, "People said, you should go for this."
As a new MP, Watson stayed in touch with the people he knew in organisations like Mysociety and maintained his interest in digital issues until his appointment to the cabinet office gave him a chance to be "progressive with digital policy". After that, he says, "I made it my single purpose."
Tags: Internet
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Where to start?
1. One of the few technologically aware MPs has repeatedly failed to have any influence over the direction of IT related laws in the UK, despite being allegedly competent.
2. Doesn't state whether he's for or against the massive electronic privacy intrusion instigated by his party, but obviously no regrets, judging by the lack of comment. Labour, despite their major lack of achievement, they did manage to begin the creation of a utopian police state...
3. Copyright - yeah right. Apparently, no government can reduce copyright terms without first withdrawing from existing treaties, then rejoining and signing up with a lower limit - NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.
4. Information Commisioners Office - that would be for ensuring justice for people who have had their privacy abused, ie PHORM/BT. Increasing the ICO's powers?!? They don't use their existing powers when it conflicts with the establishment. Watson's influence? None.
5. OFCOM - a bad joke since they were created to maintain BTs monopoly over 20 years ago. OFCOM - taking industry's side against the consumer. Watson's influence? None.
6. ASA - "policing" bad adverts online - yeah right. Another quango as useful as OFCOM.
7. Open wifi networks - a social service in some areas - only problem is when the police try and ruin the lives of the innocent providers of those services who they claim are up to no good.
8. Engineering union background?!? - so that would be about preserving jobs at any cost. Even when its obvious to everyone else that the world has moved on and competition has forced irrevocable change.
9. Fining local authorities/NHS/Police for IT security breaches? So the public pays for the incompetence of the people who are suposed to work for them - where's the logic in that? Hold the head of the organisations personaly accountable (with jail time if necessary) - that would focus minds. Like that's going to happen. Watson's influence, none.
10. Freedom of Information - could do more? - you had 13 years!!! How about bringing in laws to prosecute those establishments who refuse to cooperate with the spirit of FOI (eg University of Southampton who copyrighted their FOI responses so they couldn't be published). Not going to happen. Watson's influence, none.
11. As for "young MPs being natural net users" - they and their siblings will have undoubtedly illegally downloaded copyright content. However, as power corrupts, as well as hefty bribes, I mean lobbying incentives, it won't be long before they'll be reinforcing the DEA and pushing RIAA/MPAA/BFI agendas.
Watson's influence, none.
So, apart from being an opportunity for self promotion, this article does nothing but reinforce the fact that this MP will have as little impact in the next 10 years as he has had during the last 10.
I could go on...
So what if developer jobs move to Toronto? Go ahead guys, move with them. We could definitely use some new educated European immigrants here. This place is starting to look like Africa...