Archive for Politics
Whoa! What a Difference a #BlackoutSOPA Day Makes.
Januar 24th, 2012 • Politics
Tags: Change, Cool, PIPA, Politics, SOPA, USA
Just to make sure nobody ever ever ever asks the question again ‘What we can do against something like SOPA?’ or if it makes sense at all to protest. It does. Check out the results from Blackout SOPA Day last week on Jan 18.
Thanks to Buzzhunt
SOPA. The single biggest threat for the web right now.
November 24th, 2011 • Politics
Tags: Censorship, Politics, SOPA, USA, World
Just in case you are not aware of it (and if you are not American there is quite a good chance you are not aware of it): The internet is currently facing one of its gravest threats ever. It is called SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) / Protect IP (Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011).
For some it is just the last pathetic act in the entertainment industry’s losing battle against the web. For others these two proposed laws will become very helpful tools to stop the ones from communicating who shouldn’t organize themselves anyway.
SOPA/Protect-IP arecurrently pushed through the U.S. Congress and the House. As usual supported with the firepower of major lobby organizations. And in a couple of months the U.S. government will – in fact – have the power to selectively censor the web if everything goes according to plan.
The following video explains SOPA/Protect-IP a bit better than I do.
PROTECT IP Act Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.
Does this affect me as a non-American? Of course it does. With SOPA the U.S. entertainment industy wins an important battle against free speech bringing all of us one state closer to censorship, walled gardens and the dystopian vision of a controllable internet. A vision that western Elites share with Colonel Gaddafi, Kim Jong Il and the Chinese government.
No Way Back. Why I still am a Convinced European.
November 7th, 2011 • 6 comments Politics
Tags: Amsterdam, Europe, Germany, personal, Politics
I spent my last weekend in England where one of my best friends celebrated his wedding. My friend is German (as I am) and he married his English girlfriend. While spending the weekend with my friends I had an interesting conversation with one of his English friends about Germany’s role in the European bailout process. He told me what other Brits had told me before: They expressed compassion for all the money that specifically Germany has to stake now (the last bail out sum was EUR 211 bn) to save the EU – while the UK’s share as a traditionally Euro-sceptic nation is much lower.
Upon returning to Amsterdam my girlfriend and I got to know five young Italians at Schiphol airport who needed support to find the right train to get to the city center. They were tourists and asked a lot of questions about living in Amsterdam and our reasons for moving here. And at one point one of them asked us: “How do you like Italy?’
It is difficult to answer something reasonable when being asked something like that. But I quickly realized what this young guy from Turin actually wanted to know. He wanted to find out about our German perception of the weak econonomic situation that Italy finds itself in these days. His personal explanation of the current Italo-German relations sounded almost exactly like this: “Italians like to live – they enjoy long lunch breaks but nobody really works. Germans on the other hand are ambitious and they have a good working attitude which is why Germany is the richest country in Europe nowadays. And they wanted to push the EU further so they can help out.”
No doubt, I had to disagree. I have heard similar stereotypes before. But neither is there an economic German success gene nor is there something like inexhaustible money well in Germany. Just 10 years ago Germany was considered as the Sick Man of Europe. To quote an article from 2002:
The German economy’s underperformance is a result of an economic structure built on social consensus rather than market forces. The Weimar republic and the following Nazi era led to Germans attaching a very high premium on domestic stability. (…) The structural rigidity of the German economy has meant that it could not react quickly and nimbly to changing circumstances. (…) Occasionally the FDP (Germany’s liberal party) might mumble something that would be a step in the right direction, but aside from their self-inflicted implosion, they would in any case not be a major force.
A decade later and FDP – aka the only German party that gets it – is on the brink of disintegration. Europe’s market squares have become camp sites for OccupyWallstreet protesters, even Harvard’s Business Review asks ‘Was Marx right?,’ and Germany has miraculously become Europe’s fit man. This is not the result of the aspirational German working attitude. It is the result of something completely else.
That’s why I had to contradict the young Italian guy from the train: What is happening right now has nothing to do with Germans being ambitious and Italians (or Greeks, or Portugese, …) being lazy. It has got something to do with a clear Political agenda of economic reforms that Germany conducted in the mid-2000s. Many Germans had to accept extreme cuts and much lower levels of social grants than before (oh…and it cost our former Chancellor Schroeder his job – but that’s a different story). Just pretending that this is a mix of good luck and the right attitude is simply not true.
The result was a stronger economic climate as you can see in the following diagram which shows the German unemployment rate since the reunification.
In fact: this wealth was paid for by many Germans since the mid 2000s – and luckily it paid off. But we are not talking about money that was heaven-sent.
More German Angst? Thoughts on Facebook, Privacy and Germany.
August 29th, 2011 • 8 comments Allgemein, Politics, Social
Tags: Facebook, Germany, Politics, privacy, Society
Germany.
This is not just the place I come from. At the same time it is one of the richest tech-cultural repositories for blogging about digital media that I can imagine.
After living in the Netherlands for 15 months now I perceive Germany a bit like the Gallic village from Asterix and Obelix – the famous French cartoon series (that unfortunately only Europeans know). One village against the Roman Empire. Or – as in the case of Germany – one state against the rest of the web.
It’s hard to keep track of all my conversations with clients or colleagues in which we talked about a Global solution for a digital project before someone said ‘and we need a separate solution for Germany’. When talking about Digital Marketing my country of origin is something like the annoying cry baby or the nagging girl friend that is a pain for everyone but that nevertheless requires your full attention. Germany’s Tech-Idiosyncracy coupled with a privacy paranoia makes it happen.
So about two weeks ago it started again. ‘Germany vs. Facebook: Like Button Declared Illegal, Sites Threatened With Fine‘ said the headline of this article. And Mashable found out the Facebook Like is already banned in Germany.
That is of course crap. It is bad tabloid-style journalism.
Fact 1: Germany did not ban Facebook likes
Dear Journalists from Mashable and Silicon Filter: Believe it or not, States consist of institutions. Sometimes many institutions. And quite often far too many institutions (this is the German case). But just because one representative in one instution in a rather small district of Germany THINKS Facebook does not act legally does NOT mean this is the case. In fact it may even be illegal. Especially as Mister Teichert’s claims – if legally correct – would actually legally end the use of almost any type of web service in Germany. Key claim: ‘By using the Facebook service traffic and content data are transferred into the USA and a qualified feedback is sent back to the website owner concerning the web page usage, the so called web analytics.’
Yes, that’s ridiculous. But that’s not the key problem.
Fact 2: This is nothing compared to what’s happening in the EU right now
Directive 95/46/EC aka European Union Data Protection Directive – this does not sound like the stuff that the ordinary Digital Marketer really wants to learn more about. But in fact it will change an awful lot. Since May 25th all member states of the European Union are expected to enact this new privacy directive, which requires businesses to get explicit permission to track pretty much any type of online user behavior.
This in fact means Marketers have to ask for permission for pretty much any type of digital insight gathering. Cookies? Ask for permission. google Analytics? Well…let’s see….oh, this is getting really complicated. And if you want to check out what a seamless user experience of the future might soon look like you can download the Privacy compliant WordPress Plugin here. Click the Demo button to see the drama unfold.
Hiroshima. A Panoramic View from August 1945.
August 10th, 2011 • Experimental, Politics
Tags: history, Panorama, photo, Politics, sad, visual, War, World
August 6, 1945 was a turning point for mankind. At 8.15am the mushroom cloud of the world’s first Atomic Bomb rose over the City of Hiroshima, killing hundreds of thousands and pushing mankind into a future threatened by constant mutual destruction. Hiroshima and Nagasaki influenced my life even five decades later. As a kid growing up in Germany of the 1980s Cold War era I knew everything about the bomb. Years later the fear of it made me study Politics and specialize in security Politics (writing my thesis about Nuclear Proliferation in North Korea).
Last week the world mourned the end of Hiroshima and Nagasaki for the 66th time. I just stumbled upon this breathtaking 360 panoramic view of the city of Hiroshima, taken in August 1945. As there were really few pictures of the actual bombing this is one of the most shocking views I have ever seen. What you see below used to be a buzzing city of 330,000 inhabitants.
The Panorama consists of 5 pieces taken by U.S. and Japanes photographers. I have integrated Piece 1 and Piece 3. Find all the other pieces here.
Hiroshima after the Atomic Bomb (1 of 5) by Shigeo Hayashi in Japan
The following Panorama was shot from a different position by the American photographer Harbert F Austin Jr.
Exit Deutschland. Trojan Shirts for Nazis.
August 9th, 2011 • 2 comments Ideas, Politics
Tags: Cool, Creativity, Exit, Experimental, Funny, Germany, Ideas, People, Politics, visual, We like
It is sad enough that it is 2011 and we still need organisations such as Exit Deutschland. Even though Fascists only play an inferior role in Germany’s political system, they are very present in some parts of Eastern Germany. And that’s where organisations such as Exit play a pivotal role in offering alternatives for people who know nothing but their hateful community.
Exit Deutschland is an organisation that tries to help members of the fascist scene to leave their (quite often very violent) peer group. In order to get their message across they just designed a very smart ‘Trojan Shirt’.
For the 9th time Germany’s right wing NPD party was allowed to stage a festival called ‘Rock fuer Deutschland’. Members of Exit Deutschland dressed up as Nazis and passed 250 of their shirts to Festival visitors. The idea: The shirt actually looks like stuff any Fascist likes (‘Hardcore Rebels. Nationalistic and free’ + skull). But once the guys came home after the Festival and washed their shirts the shirt revealed a different message: ‘What your T-shirt can do, so can you – we’ll help you break with right-wing extremism’ + a contact number for Exit Deutschland.
24 hours after the Festival NPD watchdogs sent out SMS warnings to the festival guests. 250 out of 600 guests got a T-Shirt.
Well done Exit. At last one ‘Trojan marketing concept’ with a Political attitude. Learn more on their site and like them on Facebook. (via Happyschnitzel)
Hup Holland Hup! Dutch Lawmakers adopt Net Neutrality Law.
Juni 22nd, 2011 • Politics
Tags: Amsterdam, net neutrality, Netherlands, People, Politics, World
One of many reason why I love to live in the Netherlands. The Dutch Parliament has just made a groundbreaking decision:
The Netherlands on Wednesday became the first country in Europe, and only the second in the world, to enshrine the concept of network neutrality into national law by banning its mobile operators from blocking or charging consumers extra for using Internet-based communications services like Skype or WhatsApp, a free text service.
The measure, which was adopted with a broad majority by the lower house of the Dutch Parliament, the Tweede Kamer, will prevent KPN, the Dutch market leader, and the Dutch units of Vodafone and T-mobile, from blocking or charging for Internet services. Its sponsors said that the measure would pass a legal review in the Dutch Senate without hitches.
Analysts said that the legal restrictions imposed in the Netherlands could shape Europe’s broader, evolving debate over network neutrality, pushing more countries on the Continent to limit operators from acting as self-appointed toll collectors of the mobile Internet.
“I could also see some countries following the Dutch example,” said Jacques de Greling, an analyst at Natixis, a French bank. “I believe there will be pressure from consumers to make it clear what they are buying, whether it is the full Internet or Internet-light.”
Advocates hailed the move as a victory for consumers, while industry officials predicted that mobile broadband charges could rise in the Netherlands to compensate for the new restrictions.
“We support network neutrality,” said Sandra de Jong, a spokeswoman for Consumentenbond, the largest Dutch consumer organization, based in Den Haag. “We don’t think operators should be able to restrict the Internet. That would be a bad precedent.”
Luigi Gambardella, the executive board chairman of the Brussels-based industry group, the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association, warned that the Dutch legislation could deter operators from making needed investments in high-speed networks for fear of building expensive but unprofitable infrastructure.
“Any additional regulation should avoid deterring investment or innovative business models, leading to a more efficient use of the networks and to creating new business opportunities,” Mr. Gambardella said. He said operators needed the ability to charge different tariffs for different levels of service, to recoup the costs of data-intensive applications.
(More on New York Times)
I love it. Russia’s History told by the worker of a Tetris Factory.
Mai 14th, 2011 • Politics, We like
Tags: Cool, Creativity, Funny, Games, Gaming, history, Ideas, Lifestyle, Music, Politics, Russia, Tetris, visual, We like
I guess the following film tells one of the smartest stories in a music videos that I have seen so far. It was created by the ‘world’s best neo-post-post-music hall anti-folk band’ Pig with the Face of a Boy and it stages the story of Russia from the perspective of a worker…well…who is responsible to spin the Tetris blocks that fall down from the sky. A great metaphor to describe life in Russia since the 1870s and a very nice, clever song. Well done guys. I hope you become really, really successful. Check out the band here…
Rattenfänger. Germany and the Birth of Digital Populism.
März 5th, 2011 • 12 comments Allgemein, Media, People, Politics
Tags: bild, Germany, Guttenberg, Media, People, Politics, World
One thing in advance – this article has no reason whatsoever to fuel a stereotype towards Germans. But it aims to highlight a couple of recent developments that I find alarming in Germany and abroad (think Berlusconi). So to begin with I have to make a confession: I was always and I am still interested in Propaganda. I think there is no way to think about marketing in general and earned media in particular and to forget about basic principles of mass mobilisation. Sounds terrible but it is the truth.
Wikipedia agrees: ‘Propaganda is generally an appeal to emotion, not intellect. It shares techniques with advertising and public relations, each of can be thought of as propaganda that promotes a commercial product or shapes the perception of an organization, person, or brand.’ No doubt, as I am a left-liberal German and as I am more than aware of my country’s history this still is a problematic approach. Using the word Propaganda means to willfully manipulate people to follow you – something that was perfected by the lunatics around Josef Goebbels in the vicious and finally successful attempt to turn the German people into a nation of murderers. Being interested in the mechanisms behind it implies that you silently agree with the political implications of Mass Propaganda. Especially in Germany.
To pass this point quickly – no, I don’t. And I would also like to pass Godwin’s Law quickly which states that the probabilty of a comparison involving Hitler and Nazis is 1 the longer a political discussion takes place. No, I won’t compare anyone with Goebbels, with procedures of Nazi Propaganda, Stalin’s propaganda (with, in parts much more elaborated manipulation tactics) or the totalitarian mass communication in North Korea. Let’s just accept for a second that Propaganda is out there and as all of us are part of broader groups with a certain habit to elect leaders, buy products, or go to war…there will also always be mechanisms of mass manipulation involved.
The Herd
Being social is a key evolutionary strategy. We are, as Mark Earls called it, ‘the super social ape’. The normal Homo Sapiens is neither willing nor is he fit to act alone – we normally love to interact with others. A thesis that is supported by hundreds of sociological, political, psychological, biological, game theoretical and anthropological tests. But, as Mister Earls in his highly recommended book ‘Herd’ writes…
“We use other people’s brains to navigate the world: to acquire skills and practices, and to access knowledge systems of long-dead strangers. We call this ‘culture’.”
This is indeed interesting. The theory of a collaborative super social ape describes a very constructive being. A higher organism that wants to become better and improve. An ape that learns new techniques and maybe the use of tools to be fitter for a challenging environment. But what Mark Earls highlights is a very insecure organism. An organism that constantly looks left and right to act in accordance with the rules of his broader group.
Just check out the following video about how a Mexican Wave starts…
Yes, this is fun. But any mass group behaviour contains an element of peer pressure, of violence if you like. Be part of the Mexican Wave or be the outsider. In group or out group? There is no place for much individualism simply because nobody wants to be excluded from his peers. We perceive that as capital punishment.
Oh Shit. Al Qaeda Attacks Internet With Photo Of Adorable Piglet.
Februar 27th, 2011 • Ideas, People, Politics
Tags: Cool, cyber war, Funny, Ideas, People, Politics, terror, the onion, Viral, World
Diabolic!
As North African societies revolt with support of social networks, Al Qaeda switches to cyber terror to bring the west to its knees. In its latest attempt in cyber warfare U.S. digital infrastructure was targeted by the terror network. The objective – wreaking havoc through a picture of an adorable piglet that was leaked to a super multiplier in Flordia and spread across the U.S. within seconds to cripple any other traffic. My god, what comes next? (thx to laughinsquid and Onion)
Latest Comments