Policy-Discussion

[Ian G <iang AT systemics.com>]

On the issue of ethics.  (For refresher, I've included
some snippets below that touched on this issue.)

As originally mentioned, the ethical component shifts
too rapidly to rest in the mission.  We can test this
by looking at what is above and below.  Peter decides
that it is Rights of Kids, but I have none so I don't
care (well, not quite, but I play a good devil).

Timothy decides it is about codes of conduct and
environmental policy.  Because I'm a devil, I'll damn
the conduct and the environment equally and there is
always a way to be right in that (if unfriendly).

So I'd say that what we have here is a serious *limitation*
on the mission.  What that limitation is may necessarily
be difficult to prescribe in advance - which to me and my
way of thinking means that we have to kick it into dispute
resolution.

That is, a limitation is that the community decides from
time to time various limits on the uses of the services,
and it can do this conventionally, by discussion and by
rules, or it can do this forcefully, by any member opening
a dispute with any other member.


Peter Williams wrote:
> CAcert community participants will show by their participation that it 
> is possible to form an autonomous, self-governing private community by 
> developing cooperative trust practices that engender the public's trust 
> in the community's ability to limit the use of international 
> cryptography only for purposes consistent with the UN Charter on Human 
> Rights and the UNICEF Convencion de Los Derechos del Nino (which Im not 
> sure how to properly translate apart from the obvious: Rights of Kids).




> > From: "Timothy M. Gage" 
> > <tgage AT tamdesign.com>
> > MISSION Draft:
> >
> > The mission of CAcert, Inc. is to provide ethical(1), community-based(2),
> > not-for-profit(3) services in areas of electronic privacy(4) and 
> > security(5)
> > including, but not limited to, certification(6), education(7) and
> > verification(8).
> >
> > 1. The term "ethical" states that CAcert will seek to provide services 
> > of an
> > "ethical" nature.  As the guidelines for what may be deemed "ethical" may
> > change over time, the exact definition of "ethical" and "ethical business
> > practices" can be spelled out in a living document which can be 
> > revised as
> > need arises.
> > *** "ethical" could encompass many issues including codes of conduct,
> > environmental policy, etc.
...
> > 8. The term verification would include, but not be limited to, 
> > CAcert's WOT
> > program.  Verification could also include compliance checks to ensure 
> > that
> > members and assurers are a) complying with CAcert's code of coduct, b)
> > complying with all of CAcert's guidelines, and c) auditting of assurers.




iang wrote:
> > > I've been toying with the words
> > >
> > >        "offering services in security"
> > >
> > > but I don't think that's it.  The issue with
> > > offering services in security is that everyone
> > > does that ... and as soon as the going gets tough,
> > > the wimps get going .. elsewhere, where they can
> > > offer some new poor muggins the same thing that
> > > didn't work last time.
> > >
> > > (Today's pop quiz - name a security company that
> > > we all agree can be trusted...)
> > >
> > > OTOH CAcert is not promising to secure the member
> > > from all threats, every time, every attack.