Intel’s Hero’s on Panel at Gov 2.0 Summit

If you’ve seen those new Intel adds, I’m listening to their heroes: Vinton Cerf, American scientist often called ‘Father of the Internet’; John Markoff, NY Times writer covering Silicon Valley; Jack Dorsey, co-founder and chairman of Twitter; Tim Sparapani – Facebook lead in Washington DC
28-minute panel.
Ideas:
– Vinton Cerf:
o The Internet allows anyone with an idea to try things out. People with an idea should be able to do it.
o Replication of that concept happens in other areas: Open, easily accessible networks.
o Internet originally had a military motivation. Command and control purposes.
o Implemented by an academic community of researchers, so academic purposes were infused as well.
o How does money enter into the equation: I spent $$ on this thing, I should control it. However, sometimes to maximize the investment, you need to leave it open. Others will make $$ off of it, but you need to be willing to let that happen.
– Jack Dorsey (Twitter):
o Who knew his background came from previous experience with dispatching cabs?
o Missed a few thoughts here because someone sat down next to me. Can anyone help here?
– Tim Sparapani (Facebook)
o What about transparency issues? Facebook trusts users to use tools they have wisely. Tim believes FB is a model for where other companies need to go.
o How does local law enforcement use FB? FB can help with justice issues when there is a real need, but the company is is very careful to protect privacy.
o Mistakes will happen. But mistakes shouldn’t devalue that more than 250 million users are on FB and nearly all check it every day. This is an important social moment.
o Gov’t can learn from what the platform companies are already doing. Tim sees world of applications as the next big thing. FB has more than 1 million developers worldwide. New goods and services are being developed that were never thought of before. Fostering that innovative spirit in a safe and secure environment.
– What do you think of the Gov’ts ability to make use of Facebook and twitter as a tool? (Question from Vinton Cerf to other panelists.)
o Jack Dorsey: This is an exciting topic for him. Twitter and Facebook blur the line between public and private. They make the public sphere more approachable. Congressmen, Senators, etc. are using these tools to communicate with their constituents and engage them. It makes everyone feel as if they are able to take some participatory action.
o Concept of “blurring the line” vs. blending government and citizens. Blending might be a more positive term.
o Tim Sparpani: 23 federal agencies are on FB and are having interactive conversations with constituents. An exchange of ideas and services is taking place.
• Facebook.com/government launched in last day or two.
– Can the people govern themselves through these platforms?
o Two issues:
• There is a scaling problem that we can’t get past
• There is a depth of understanding problem that we can’t get past. For example, the 1,300-page health care document. Who has the time to read and understand what is going on? A representative form of Gov’t allows someone to read, understand, and focus on those policy issues.
o Gov’t has to set ground rules for these platforms. The gov’t needs to effectively create them and lead in this way globally. The majority of developers are based in the US. The US Gov’t needs to set rules that allow innovation to flourish and it should only step in to round out the edges as needed.
o What would you do over if you could start with a clean piece of paper? (Question to Vinton Cerf)
• Start with a longer-term end in mind
• Put in stronger focus on authenticity, authentication.
• On the whole, though, this thing has managed to survive, so it has been pretty successful