#and we should be able to access it regardless of local laws or cultural norms

[hotwaterandmilk]

I'm still not well so this isn't going to be articulate, but I wanted to say something anyway.

In the wake of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (amongst other titles) being purged from streaming I've seen countless posts saying "This is terrible, we need to stop this practice -- they might purge a good show next!" and yeah, for sure a lot of titles being impacted by streaming purges/lack of physical media/a decline in archiving right now aren't going to be remembered for changing the world.

However, I think it is vital that we fight to preserve these titles for their own sake not just because "What if next time it's something we actually like?!" There is value is preserving things widely regarded as "bad" not just because I have firm beliefs about the absurdity of taste, but because who gives a shit if something is deemed "good?" Actual human people put their time and energy into realising these artistic visions. Even if the results are arguably not "good" or "popular", should the efforts of these artists be lost to the sands of time? No, no they fucking shouldn't.

I share a lot of art on this blog from titles very few people consider culturally important or valuabe. However, I don't look at the things I collect & share like that. Even some of the most objectively absurd titles I own are still pieces of art that were developed, published, and consumed by humans in the real world. Whether they've turned out to be broadly memorable or not is irrelevant because they existed and that in itself makes them worthy of preservation so that others can choose to familiarise themselves with them long after the original creative team is gone.

So yes, we should all be trying to preserve the media that's important to us and not let corporations try to stamp out every trace of a financial (though not necessarily artistic) misstep. However, it shouldn't take the threat of something we, personally, like being taken away to stir us into giving a shit.

Even the demise of less admired works should concern us and make us start to burn copies of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies because it might not mean anything to you or I right now, but to some kid in 20 years it could be a seminal experience that leads them to follow their dreams. Or it could become a cult classic that people reflect on at watch parties years in the future. Or it could continue to be a footnote in the history of television that nobody really cares about.

Ultimately I don't think it matters what level of value we arbitrarily assign to media now or in the future, we should be trying to preserve as much of it as possible so that generations from now people can enjoy the option of engaging with these titles should they so wish.

#personal #idk i just feel strongly that even trash should be allowed to exist #and all of us be able to access it if we so choose #some of the most meaningful film experiences of my life have involved B movies and other “low” culture properties #i'm not well enough to even start rambling about high and low culture and the rich #but as an audience we should be able to select what we want to consume #and we should be able to access it regardless of local laws or cultural norms #that's why the efforts of archivists and media preservationists from the lost media wiki to the louvre are so important #“but this spongebob ad had no impact on society who cares if it is accessible or not?” #you can't determine the value of something based solely on your own experience with it #so yeah spongebob ads and episodes of wheel of fortune should continue to exist #and so should the trashiest shoujo manga in the world #god and i haven't even touched on how disproportionately things like this affect work by artists of colour #queer artists and disabled artists #it's super fucking shit and i refuse to let streaming take away these media choices #ok back to my covid sick bed

[upinternet]

The Philippine Declaration on Internet Rights and Principles

(Crossposted from the Foundation for Media Alternatives)

Note: The UP Internet Freedom Network was not part of the drafting of The Philippine Declaration of Internet Rights and Principles. We decided to include this in our website so that more people can access The Declaration, from which we base the core principles of our organization. 

On November 4, 2015, the Philippine Declaration on Internet Rights and Principles was launched after several months of collective drafting and consultations with civil society internet rights groups and the ICT policy community.

The initiative for the creation of the Declaration was launched during the Philippine Multi-stakeholder Forum on Internet Governance, Human Rights and Development organized by [the Foundation for Media Alternatives] on March 23, 2015. It was inspired by many similar initiatives of a global or national scope (e.g., Brazil). A drafting team, comprised of individuals from diverse backgrounds, developed the content of the declaration.

FMA also conducted broad consultations in Metro Manila, Davao City, and Cebu City from August to October 2015 to solicit inputs on the initial draft. The draft declaration was also made available online for inputs and suggestions of those who could not join the face-to-face consultations.

The Declaration focused on ten areas:

Internet access for all

Democratizing the architecture of the internet

Freedom of expression and association

Right to privacy and protection of personal data

Gender equality

Openness and access to information, knowledge and culture

Socio-economic empowerment and innovation

Education and digital literacy

Liberty, safety and security on the Internet

Internet and ICTs for environmental sustainability.

The Declaration is a reflection of the dreams, hopes, and aspirations of Filipinos of what the Philippine Internet should be. It hopes to serve as a basis for public education, advocacy, networking and campaigns on ICT, human rights, and development.

As of end-2015, 23 organizations have signed the declaration with many more organizations expressing interest.

The Philippine Declaration on Internet Rights and Principles

Preamble

Recalling that the Philippines is a sovereign democratic state in Southeast Asia, an archipelago that has a diverse population of various cultures that speaks different languages and dialects and professes different beliefs and ideologies;

Recognizing the 1987 Philippine Constitution, and that the State shall promote social justice in all phases of national development and should value the dignity of each and every human person;

Recognizing that the Internet plays an important role in the lives of the peoples of the Philippines, affecting their social, political, cultural, and economic development;

Recognizing that the Internet is a global commons and a public resource that should further the public interest;

Asserting that governance of the Internet should be inclusive, democratic, and rights-based, and should encourage the widest possible participation, particularly from marginalized and vulnerable sectors;

Noting that while the Internet has provided a platform for the promotion of human rights and increased democratization in the country, it has nevertheless also been misused and abused at times, and that such misuse or abuse results in a widening of the social divide or increased oppression;

Affirming that all human rights that apply or are enjoyed offline, particularly those enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), should likewise also apply and be protected online;

Emphasizing the responsibility of the State to always respect, protect and fulfill human rights, as also the responsibility of the private sector including Internet intermediaries to respect the human rights of their users consistent with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights;

Herein declare:

1. Internet Access for All

Everyone has the right to affordable and quality access to the Internet. The State must narrow the digital divide in order to provide quality universal access and ensure an enabling environment for fair competition that will benefit all stakeholders and promote consumer protection. Consistent with the distributed nature of the Internet, community-owned and driven information infrastructure and networks should also be promoted as alternatives or complements to national-level infrastructure.

2. Democratizing the Architecture of the Internet

The Internet’s architecture, communication systems, and document and data formats shall be based on open standards that ensure complete interoperability, inclusion and equal opportunity for all.

Recognizing the fundamental distributed, decentralized and diverse nature of the internet, everyone shall have universal and open access to the Internet and its content, free from discriminatory prioritization, filtering or control for political or commercial purposes, while allowing for legitimate technical traffic management. The Internet should continue to evolve via open, permission-less innovation and the voluntary adoption of standards through inclusive multi-stakeholder processes, with due regard for the diversity of human abilities.

3. Freedom of Expression & Association

Everyone should have the right to freedom of expression, opinion, and association without interference online and offline. State and non-state actors should refrain from infringing upon the universal right to receive and impart information, opinions and ideas. Any restrictions on online activity should conform with necessary and proportionate principles.

Attempts to silence critical voices and censor social and political content or debate on the Internet should be stopped. Everyone should also be free to use the Internet to organize and form associations, and to engage in protests.

4. Right to Privacy & Protection of Personal Data

Everyone has a right to privacy on the Internet and the right to control how their personal data is collected, used, disclosed, retained, and disposed. Everyone should be able to communicate free from the threat of surveillance and interception. Targeted surveillance for the protection of public health and safety should always provide safeguards for human rights and be governed by transparent rules and oversight mechanisms.

Everyone should also have the right to communicate anonymously on the Internet and should be free to use encryption technology to ensure secure, private and anonymous communication.

5. Gender Equality

Everyone should have an equal right to learn about, access, define, use, and shape the Internet regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. Efforts to increase access must recognize and redress existing gender inequalities. In particular, there must be full participation of women in all areas related to the development of the Internet to ensure gender equality.

Gender-based violence involving the use of technology is growing, and the harms and violations perpetrated through and with ICTs are in need of serious attention. There must be concrete programs and mechanisms to prevent violence in cyberspace by promoting human rights for all and harnessing the potential of ICTs to promote women’s empowerment. The Internet must promote diversity and social justice, and should be a transformative space to challenge and dismantle social injustice and patriarchy.

6. Openness and Access to Information, Knowledge, and Culture

Everyone should have the right to access information on the Internet and be free from restrictions on access to knowledge. Copyright and patent regimes must not disproportionately restrict the capacity of the Internet to support public access to knowledge and culture. The State must ensure an enabling environment where linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity are encouraged as it enriches the development of society. It should also promote the development of local content and the production and use of free, libre, and open source software (FLOSS).

7. Socio-Economic Empowerment and Innovation

Everyone should be free to use the Internet for socio-economic empowerment and innovation. Innovators should be encouraged to design, develop, and implement information and communication technologies that respect human rights and that contribute to socio-economic empowerment and sustainable development. The State shall also foster an enabling environment for the growth of innovators and start-ups.

8. Education and Digital Literacy

Everyone should have the knowledge and skills that enable them to use and shape the Internet. Everyone should have access to online resources, materials, and knowledge. Digital literacy is fundamental to children’s capacity to use the Internet competently and exercise their human rights. Digital literacy will facilitate more active, responsible, and productive citizen participation in political, social and economic spheres.

The State should promote open educational resources and enable open access to research and data, as well as the use of free and open source software.

9. Liberty, Safety, & Security on the Internet

Everyone has the right to liberty and security on the Internet. Security measures, devised and implemented in a consensual manner, must be consistent with international human rights laws and norms. Everyone has the right to enjoy secure connections to and on the Internet, including protection from malware and fraud, as well as services and protocols that threaten or impair the current technical functioning of the Internet. Digital security measures should be commensurate with the threats they seek to address, taking into consideration and relative to the benefits of the social, economic and democratic activity they seek to protect.

10. Internet and ICTs for Environmental Sustainability

Sustainable use of the Internet must be encouraged and enabled. E-waste should be minimized and recycled or otherwise disposed of in a manner that is protective of the environment. Sustainable use of the Internet that minimizes its impact on resources should be encouraged.

Signatories

8 Layer Technologies, Inc.

Baratillo.NetBlogwatch Philippines

Cebu Blogging Community

Cebu Youth Society Group

Dakila

Democracy.Net.Ph

Foundation for Media Alternatives

Galang Philippines

Gender and Development Advocates (GANDA) Filipinas

HROnline Philippines

Info Shop Marinduque

Initiatives for International Dialogue

Internet Society – Philippines

Kaisa _ Nagkakaisang Iskolar para sa Pamantasan at Sambayanan

Ligdung Sumbanan Alang sa mga Kabataan sa Sugbu

Marindukanon Studies Center

National Alliance of Youth Leaders

Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance

Philippine Network Foundation, Inc.

Sanlakas

Switotwins, Inc.

Start Up Davao

Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau

#internet freedom #philippines

[expatsecuador]

10 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Ecuador

What do expats wish they knew before taking the plunge and moving to Ecuador? Turns out it's a lot. 

Some of these things might be surface level, and in that case, you have a good shot of picking them up on an investigative trip to Ecuador before committing to the move. Which, I fully encourage you to do by the way. 

But, others are not so easy to pick up and require a bit more digging until you're likely to come across them. So, visitors are not likely experience these on their investigative trip. 

I've covered surface and non-surface issues below in my compilation of what I consider to be the 10 most important things that the luxury of hindsight has given myself and fellow expats living in Ecuador. 

I think it's important for expats to have access to information that doesn't just paint Ecuador as a utopian expat destination. I also don't want you to read this and leave with an entirely negative view of Ecuador. I love it here and it has much to offer - despite some of the issues I dig into below. 

1. Noise

Obviously the type of noise you may experience differs from city to city, neighborhood by neighborhood. ie Moving to the mountains of Cuenca will be very different to the coastal towns of Manta or Olon.

But, regardless of where you decide to live, there is a strong possibility that noise will affect you in some way. Some of the most common noise nuisances in Ecuador include:

Speakers

We're talking about those big party speakers. These tend to me more of an issue around the weekend and fiestas, but they can be seriously out of control. If you're staying next door to bars or clubs, then it's to be expected.

What may be more surprising are the unofficial neighborhood parties that seem to last an entire weekend. Smaller towns and communities are not immune to this. We've been on several weekend escapes to the beaches or mountain towns where the persistent bass thumping has impacted our enjoyment. 

Gas trucks

Gas is delivered to homes via trucks throughout Ecuador. It's super cheap - $2 or $3 per tank. But, the delivery trucks blurt out a pretty horrendous song to let everyone know they are in the area. Think of an ice-cream truck song, only one that may give you a headache. 

One or two trucks per day may not be a big issue, but you may find that there is a lot of competition in your neighborhood, meaning you may have 5-10 trucks every day. 

Dogs

This can range from your more standard scenario where your neighbor has gone away for a few days and their dog is barking away, to a choir of street and pet dogs singing all night. Either way, it can be pretty frustrating and lead to sleepness nights. 

Roosters

Most likely to be found in rural and beach communities, crowing roosters can be alarmingly common. 

People talking

We aren't talking about a party atmosphere, just people having what appears to be an everyday conversation loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear. 

2. Cost of renting vs buying

When moving countries, it's tempting to sell the family home and buy a property in Ecuador. It can be especially tempting when the price of property in Ecuador is cheaper than your native country, theoretically giving you instant access to a considerable upgrade. 

But, there's many risks when purchasing property in Ecuador that you may not be able to easily safeguard against. We cover these risks in more detail in our guide to buying and renting in Ecuador. 

Please don't buy property in Ecuador unless you've done your proper due diligence. This is especially so given the price of renting property in Ecuador is so low. 

Rent for 6 months first. Then, when the rose colored glasses have dissipated, make an investment decision detached from the emotions associated with moving to a new country. 

3. Street dogs

You will encounter street dogs in Ecuador. This can be a confronting experience for some. Seeing neglected dogs on a daily occurrence still pulls at my heartstrings. We've taken in a couple of dogs, but until there is a shift in the general population on the responsibilities of dog ownership, street dogs will remain.

By all means, support your local dog shelters and charities, but understand that Ecuador is a developing country with more pressing priorities. 

4. Punctuality

There is a persisting cultural norm that punctuality doesn't matter. This is a pet-peeve of mine that no amount of meditation seems to absolve. Try not to take it personally if someone doesn't show up for an appointment on time, or at all. This covers both personal and business relationships.

Be prepared to harass your internet provider, bank, landlord, visa facilitator, maintenance workers etc. You will need to be proactive if you want stuff to get done.

5. The post (or lack of)

There is no functioning public postal service in Ecuador. Meaning you'll be relying on expensive private services like DHL for sending internationally or Servientrega for domestic.

Dealing with customs for international deliveries is a crapshoot. There is a real risk of not receiving your goods, or needing to pay high import fees if you want to collect them.  

6. Ecuadorian laws

Yes, laws differ from nation to nation. But, you may not be prepared for how the rule of law is applied in Ecuador compared to your native country. 

Navigating residential property leases, property contracts and service contracts (ie getting locked into an internet plan) are difficult for Ecuadorians and significantly harder for expats with limited Spanish.

Laws relating to starting and running a business are unnecessarily cumbersome (try to legally fire an Ecuadorian), which hampers innovation and makes it less appealing for expats to run local businesses.  

7. Driving

I consider Ecuador to be a safe country, but one area of law which scares me is the road rules. Particularly in the case of an accident where there is a policy of holding all drivers in jail until fault is determined. This can be days. 

And being a gringo, I hold a perceived risk of being found at fault because there is a financial incentive to do so - I've a greater chance of being able to pay damages to the victim. I've purchased a dashboard cam for this very reason as I want to be able to prove my innocence if need be. 

Getting a licence is a commitment. You won't be able to easily transfer your existing licence without having a bunch of forms from your native country apostiled. The other option is to have lessons which can take a few weeks to complete.  

Buying a car is more expensive in Ecuador that you'd first think. The taxes are high, which turns a car you'd buy in the US for $10K into an $18K - $20K investment. However, running a car is cheap with low gasoline prices and labor costs. 

8. Employment

Many expats are retirees living off social security, so employment isn't a concern for them. For those that need to earn an income, finding adequate local employment can be very difficult. 

Low minimum wage

The minimum wage is currently $400 per month. This is the legal minimum, not to be confused with the average wage. Finding employment that provides incentives greater than $2K per month is hard, for locals and expats alike. 

Language barrier

Expats generally have a significant language barrier they need to overcome too. If you don't speak Spanish fluently, your odds of finding a decent job are slim. 

Competition

There is a lot of competition, especially for unskilled jobs. If you don't have a skill that's in high demand or run your own business, it's going to be hard for you to find adequate employment. 

How to make money in Ecuador

The most common local jobs seem to be for English teachers or in tourism, but the pay can be very low. Many expats find that online or remote work provides the best effort vs reward. The most common roles are:

Online English teachers (for VIPkid or similar)

Transitioning current role in their native country to a remote role in Ecuador

Programming

Digital marketing (that's what I do)

9. Conveniences

Don't expect Amazon Prime-like conveniences. Online ecommerce is still in its infancy and the tech scene is yet to mature. Whilst fruit and vegetables are cheap, processed foods from the supermarket will cost more than you'd expect.

You simply won't have the easy access to consumer goods you're accustomed to. For many, this means filling suitcases with any nice-to-haves when holidaying in their native country or having friends and family visiting Ecuador doing the same. In particular, we recommend bringing electronics into Ecuador. 

10. Taxes

There's a variety of different taxes in Ecuador that are worth understanding. 

Import taxes

High import taxes hike up the prices of everything not produced in Ecuador. This is all pervasive and covers supermarket imports like your favorite cheese to cars.

It's a good idea to complete a budget during an investigative trip that covers all your expected day-to-day expenses and compare this with what you currently pay. 

Currency exit tax

Transferring money into Ecuador can be cheap and easy. But transferring cash out of Ecuador will invoke a 5% exit tax on any amount greater than 3 x the current basic salary ( as of 2020 it's 3 x $400 = $1,200). 

You'll need to pay the 5% tax whether it's transferred via a bank or carrying cash out through the airport. If you are caught lying at the airport, you'll forfeit much more than the 5%. 

Wrapping up

I hope this list sparked some topics for you to research further. There's a lot to take in when considering your move to Ecuador - this list is just the tip of the iceberg.

Feel free to let me know if there's a topic we've missed out or not covered in enough detail. 

from Expats Ecuador https://expatsecuador.com/know-before-moving/