Murkyview

Seeking Truth from the Muck

Blog: https://chrisalemany.ca/

Last Notes

2024-05-31 20:10:14 UTC

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This open letter will be sent on Monday, June 3, 2024 after 9AM PDT. When signing, please use your first and last name and indicate a location. If you would like to omit your name publicly please let me know and I will only include it on the emailed letter. This letter is focused on Canada’s Parliament but is ***open to sign by all Fediverse citizens of the World*** in order to encourage all Governments to do the same and to show the global interest and reach.
To sign you can:<li>reply to this post on a Mastodon/Fediverse client.</li><li>reply to this post in the comment section.</li><li>send an email to mastodon@chrisalemany.ca</li>
Signatures received before 9AM Pacific Daylight Time, June 3, 2024 will be included in the original letter to Parliament.
Signatures received after the deadline will still be added on this web version of the open letter.
If you have any comments or notice any errors in the letter please let me know! You can also follow this blog directly from the Fediverse by searching for @chrisblog@chrisalemany.ca.##
Open Letter from the Undersigned Citizens of Canada and other Worldwide Advocates for the Open Social Web to the Speaker of the House of Commons, Board of Internal Economy, Clerk of the House of Commons, Clerk of the Senate and Parliaments, Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, President of the Treasury Board, Minister of Citizen Services, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.The undersigned members and supporters of the Open Social Web urge you as leaders, administrators and members within the Parliament of Canada to heed the call of [Petition e-4769](https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4769 ) “to provide an open, trusted, federated, social media presence for use by all members, senators, officers and other employees of Parliament as appropriate for communication to all Canadians”.
In these most trying of times Canadians, and all people of the world, are desperately searching for trusted sources of information that are reliable and safe. Indeed, [Canadian Government sources are warning that trust in facts and reason](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/next-disruptions-on-the-horizon-1.7207915 ) are one of the top threats facing Canadians and the world. We note the recently announced [Trust and Transparency Strategy.](https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/minister-anand-announces-the-government-of-canada-trust-and-transparency-strategy-877405557.html )
The e-petition was signed by 1014 citizens of Canada who use and support the emerging non-corporate, decentralized, web of open social media platforms currently proliferating online and around the world. There are currently over [13 million users and 24,000 servers](https://mastodont.cat/@fediverse/112536719429286791 ) spread all over the world providing a variety of social media connections to citizens, artists, journalists, workers, politicians, and government agencies. Many of these people in and outside Canada are watching to see if you as Canada’s Parliament take the next step in making this a reality.
Twitter/X, Meta, Facebook, and other corporate social media platforms have become so fraught and unruly that many MPs have stopped accepting communication from them [or stopped using them entirely](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mckenna-leaving-federal-politics-1.6082882 ). Government agencies have lost access to platforms for regular and emergency communications alike. The technical ability to use these platforms to augment other government services has gradually declined. The practical ability for Parliamentary staff to manage and [ensure the safety of people under their care](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-threats-and-harassment-of-mps-have-risen-drastically-in-past-five/ ) has been eroded.
While we do not hold Open Social Web platforms as being immune or a panacea to these challenges, we do point out the inherit benefits and advantages such as:<li>Security and Safety – The top concern of every employer is the safety of its employees and that is no less true in Parliament. By having Parliamentary services provide social accounts, it would be able to immediately respond to any situation involving the security of account holders, remove or limit threatening interactions, and ensure the safety and continuity of account holders.</li><li>Control of the software – As much of the software is open source, Parliamentary IT services would have ultimate control to be able to customize to their own specifications including privacy, features, and abilities, while still maintaining the ability to connect to all Canadians and the Open Social Web as a whole.</li><li>Always Available – Open Social Web platforms, as part of the greater Internet, are by default public places. Unlike Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, or Threads, the Open Social Web platforms can ensure that there is always a freely available, public facing presence with no registration required.</li><li>Autonomy, Privacy, and Accountability – A Parliament-run Open Social Web platform like <a href="https://mastodon.org">Mastodon</a> would allow for an MP, Senator, or Officer to maintain a permanent presence, much like their email, that is managed internally by Parliament and is consistent, trusted, and predictable for the public. This ensures the autonomy and privacy of the account holder by keeping all information within Parliamentary services while also ensuring those communications are compliant with Privacy and Access to Information laws.</li><li>The No-Algorithm Advantage, Less Stress and Strife – One of the inherent benefits of the Open Social Web is the shift to a chronological and user-controlled timeline. Unlike corporate social media which often force users to a complicated and profit-driven algorithm to influence and control what is being shown on their timelines, Open Social Web platforms take a user centric approach built by following other accounts, hashtags, and other techniques to build personal timelines of content. While there has yet to be scientific study to confirm this, it is generally felt in the community that this leads to a much less stressful environment and one much less prone to spam, trolling, and harrassment. When those issues do occur, the independent-but-connected nature of the Fediverse allows for Parliament to take action as appropriate for the benefit of all account holders.</li>
We thank you for your attention to this critical matter. We believe this will improve the state of our democracy and encourage the open access to Parliament and Parliamentarians that all Canadians deserve while safeguarding Parliamentarians from undue harm and harrassment in today’s digital landscape.
Sincerely,<li>Chris Alemany – <a href="https://mstdn.chrisalemany.ca/@chris/112537526700611689">@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca </a>Port Alberni BC </li><li>Chad Ohman – <a rel="mention" class="u-url mention" href="https://mstdn.ca/@chad">@chad</a> – Edmonton AB – Admin Mastodon Canada </li><li>Erin Dalzell – <a href="https://cosocial.ca/@emd/112537533729407985">@emd@cosocial.ca</a> – </li><li>Stephen Rees – <a href="https://mas.to/@StephenRees/112537547592670956">@StephenRees@mas.to</a> – Vancouver BC </li><li>Que Banh – <a href="https://mastodon.sdf.org/@msquebanh/112537560946178972">@msquebanh@mastodon.sdf.org</a> – South Saanich BC </li><li>Irfan Savin – <a href="https://social.lol/@irfan#.">@irfan@social.lol</a> – Burnaby BC </li><li>Alex Block – <a href="https://mstdn.ca/@alexblock/112537615261770179">@alexblock@mstdn.ca</a> – Ottawa, ON </li><li>Patrick Bruce – <a rel="mention" class="u-url mention" href="https://mastodon.social/@PBruce">@PBruce</a> – Nova Scotia </li><li>Jeremy Powell – <a href="https://c.im/@wearyoctopus/112537670750704775">@wearyoctopus@c.im</a> – Burnaby BC </li><li>Elisabeth Schwarzer – <a href="https://mastodon.social/@eshome/112537685600253639">@eshome@mastodon.social</a> – Halifax NS </li><li>Chris Richards – <a href="https://mstdn.social/@chriswho/112537811507033243">@chriswho@mstdn.social</a> – Williams Lake BC </li><li>Erich – <a rel="mention" class="u-url mention" href="https://mastodon.social/@TheEjj">@TheEjj</a> – Port Coquitlam BC </li><li>Len Layton – <a href="https://theblower.au/@lenlayton/112537838731057796">@lenlayton@theblower.au</a> – Vancouver BC </li><li>Michael Porter – <a href="https://ottawa.place/@MichaelPorter/112537834279607981">@MichaelPorter@ottawa.place</a> – Ottawa ON </li><li>Sameer Vasta – <a href="https://phire.place/@vasta/112538111986683883">@vasta@phire.place</a> – London ON </li><li>Joseph Iuculano – <a href="https://masto.ai/@iuculano/112538073391787344">@iuculano@masto.ai</a> – Montreal QC </li><li>Greg Johnson – <a href="https://mastodon.social/@GPJohnston/112537929640945824">@gpjohnson@mastodon.social</a> – Kirkland USA </li><li>Markham Iohbihler – @miohbihler@techhub.social – Markham ON </li><li>Ken Walker – <a rel="mention" class="u-url mention" href="https://cosocial.ca/@kgw">@kgw</a> – Qualicum Beach BC </li><li>Allan B – <a href="https://mastodon.social/@allanb/112537861090207468">@allanb@mastodon.social</a> – Kirkland USA </li><li>J. B. Rainsberger – <a href="https://mastodon.social/@jbrains/112537897454280700">@jbrains@mastodon.social </a>– Summerside PEI </li><li>Eva Chanda – <a href="https://mstdn.ca/@echanda/112537907394491817">@echanda@mstdn.ca</a> – Montreal QC </li><li>John Davidson – <a href="https://mstdn.ca/@jd/112537912419044688">@jd@mstdn.ca</a> – Ottawa ON </li><li>Enoch – <a href="https://mastodon.social/@enoch_exe_inc/112538425535634077">@enoch_exe_inc@mastodon.social</a> – Toronto ON </li><li>Teeka – <a href="https://meow.social/@Bwee/112538560980607336">@Bwee@meow.social</a> – Gatineau QC </li><li>Dana McFarland – <a rel="mention" class="u-url mention" href="https://mastodon.social/@danamcfarland">@danamcfarland</a> – Nanaimo BC </li><li>Kakitsune – <a href="https://bark.lgbt/@wolffoxkatana/112538748895329274">@Wolfoxkatana@bark.lgbt</a> – USA </li><li>*** – <a href="https://wetdry.world/@QuadRadical#.">@quadradical@wetdry.world</a> – Toronto ON </li><li>*** Celeste – <a href="https://freeradical.zone/@bougiewonderland/112538652010222250">@bougiewonderland@freeradical.zone</a> – </li><li>Edwin G – <a href="https://mstdn.ca/@EdwinG/112538890371902028">@edwing@mstdn.ca</a> – Laval QC </li><li>E Nienaber – <a href="https://universeodon.com/@enienaber/112539305112614682">@enienaber@universeodon.com</a> – Gabriola Island BC </li><li>Joe Ching – <a href="https://toot.cat/@jching/112539470428759276">@jching@toot.cat</a> – Montreal QC </li><li>Will Whittaker – Victoria BC </li><li>Rainer Fehrenbacher – <a href="https://climatejustice.social/@Rainer/112539560680606689">@rainer@climatejustice.social</a> – Victoria BC </li><li>Jeremy Nickurak – <a href="https://toot.cafe/@atrus/112539685955527098">@atrus@toot.cafe</a> – Edmonton AB </li><li>Martin Martens – <a href="https://mastodon.social/@mlmartens/112539918105524559">@mlmartens@mastodon.social </a>– Nanaimo BC </li><li>Bob Jonkman – <a href="https://mastodon.sdf.org/@bobjonkman/112539948647402262">@bobjonkman@mastodon.sdf.org</a> – Elmira ON </li><li>Stacie Bee – <a href="https://mastodon.social/@StacieBee/112540051879641311">@staciebee@mastodon.social</a> – North Vancouver BC</li><li>Jean-François Mezei – <a href="https://mstdn.ca/@jfmezei/112540532216108195">@jfmezei@mstdn.ca</a> – Pointe Claire QC</li><li>Luke Cyca – <a href="https://indieweb.social/@lukecyca/112541813059718162">@lukecyca@indieweb.social</a> – Vancouver BC</li><li>Dan Schubart – <a href="https://mstdn.chrisalemany.ca/@danneau/112541889071845419">@danneau@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca</a> – Port Alberni BC</li><li>Rob Attrell – Ottawa ON</li><li>Sieva K – Vancouver BC</li><li>Cass M – Lloydminster AB</li><li>Stéphanie Pageau – <a href="https://ottawa.place/@stephanie/112542519063346397">@stephanie@ottawa.place</a> – Ottawa ON</li><li>Andy Coats – <a href="https://mstdn.social/@canayjun/112542963235672534">@canayjun@mstdn.social</a> – Burlington ON</li><li>Brandon Gowdridge – Langley BC</li>
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https://chrisalemany.ca/2024/05/31/open-letter-to-parliament-of-canada-adopt-open-services-for-social-communications/
#Canada #e4769 #OpenLetter #OpenSocialWeb #Petition
https://chrisalemany.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_5130-scaled.jpg