2006 30
Are We Too Progressive?
Published by MartinVarsavsky.net in Fon with No Comments
Now that we are becoming big I am getting comments from people who are turned off by our “Spanish leftist” look. I hear them, but I am not planning to change our image. FON is a telco revolution, FON is made of people who are fed up of the slow speed and the high monopolistic charges of the mobile operators and want to see free WiFi succeed. FON is user generated infrastructure: you give up some of your wireless bandwidth at home and you get it back anywhere else in the world without having to pay extra. You roam the world for free.
FON is people who have been promised the wireless internet and got tired of waiting. And that to me, is progressive. Why should it not express our views? And as a CEO, why can´t I express my views? I believe CEO´s CAN and SHOULD be political, because CEOs are citizens and all citizens should be political. So here´s a random list of things I believe in.
I am against the US invasion of Iraq. I am convinced that Al Gore would have been a better president than George W. I am in favor of the right of women to choose. I believe in Open Source. I don´t believe in secrecy and blog my ideas about FON. I believe that we should keep FON open to all and collaborate and roam with all other wifi networks. I believe that Spain would be today a more developed country if Franco had not ruled the country for so long. I believe that the Communist Party of China´s regime resembles that of Pinochet, monopolistic politics free economics. I believe that just as nationalisms endangered humanity in the last century Christian, Muslim and Jewish fundamentalisms are endangering humanity in this one. I believe that if you do well in business you have to give some of it back and that´s why I started Educ.ar and Safe Democracy. I believe that we are destroying our planet. I believe that the first step towards fixing the politics of a country is to stop blaming other countries for their problems. And there are tons of other things I believe in. But as importantly, I believe that you can disagree with all my views and still travel the world with your wifi signal by joining FON.
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No Comments
Robert Khan on July 1, 2006 ·
Martin,
Thanks for setting a good example. I think for many people however, when starting out, they fear politics can squash their humble beginings.
It’s good to see and be great to see more at the top being overtly politcal for what they believe in – especially when its progressive.
The far right forces, they have been vocal for what….how many thousands of years?
Cheers,
Robert
till on July 1, 2006 ·
Are you guys too progressive? Hell no!
I am so glad you are doing what you do, and I am glad people become members and use your service.
Martín Varsavsky on July 3, 2006 ·
Karl,
FON believes in both, there is not one or the other.
Because of its provision of services to the public, FON needs to comply with Data Protection Law obligations and, at the same time, with the obligations that derive from any legislation that has as an objective to fight terrorism (e.g. European Directive). As an example, we comply with Spanish Data Protection Law that is one of the strictest in Europe.
At the same time, FON has to comply with lawful interception requirements in order to help fighting terrorism and illegal activities and co-operate with the police and the authorities to catch the villains. However, we are and we will never share this information with outsiders, but only with Police and the relevant Authorities upon Court Orders.
Regards,
Tilman on July 3, 2006 ·
Just a few cents:
– the blog PR currently is very enthusiastic and trying to generate/ride a hype – this is going on my nerves when the substantial advances are lagging behind. Look at the not to great vibrations on the boards!
– I like changes for the good, but the so-called FON “revolution” coquettes with Guerilla type revolutions – the logos look violent, e.g. I donot like at all how the “yellow FON danger” is dripping off of our planet like blood in the latest animated vertical logo bar.
– your FON revolution should stress the constructive power that it has, and get away from the destructive power used in the PR material (rioting masses, blood stains, worn out letters, toilets, …)
– maybe better think of hippie-style world-peace paradigms? ok… they weren’t especially constructive either… 😉
Cheers!
Martín Varsavsky on July 4, 2006 ·
Thanks Tilman.
Could you send us a few ideas of what you have in mind?
Regards,
Pelle on July 8, 2006 ·
You know, I am at disagreement with you on so many things, but most of them are your solutions to problems and not the goals yourself which as a libertarian focused on Latin America I would probably agree violently with you on.
However much I may disagree with you I think it is great to see a company who dares to have a voice and I think that is brilliant. I have kept my political blog separate from my business life, which I may decide to change inspired by what you are doing.
I also believe that in many ways when you and I set out to “disrupt” the world with our technology, we are able to do way more with respects to changing the world than your average political activist or candidate. On this point whether we are in agreement or disagreement politically the success of things like FON absolutely helps my goals for the world.
Homer Collier on November 13, 2008 ·
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Karl-Friedrich Lenz on July 1, 2006 ·
Do you believe in the right of your users to data protection or do you agree with the recent European Directive on storing communication traffic data?
And what plans do you have to deal with the Directive?