Armin Soyka / Blog

Zwischen 19. Februar und 26. Februar findet ein Seminar der FEYG statt. Zu dem Thema: “Living next to the web.” FYEG steht übrigens  für Federation European Young Greens und ist ein Zusammenschluss von 38 europäischen grünen Jugendorganisationen. Aus ganz Europa werden rund 80 Leute in der französischsprachigen Schweiz zusammenkommen und sich eine Woche lang über das Leben im Netz, die gesellschaftlichen Herausforderungen und vor allem Chancen austauschen. Bilden.

Und hoffentlich entstehen auch Initiativen. Denn dass wir die Nationalstaaten endlich überkommen und politisch in diesem europäischen Rahmen zu denken beginnen halte ich für eine der wichtigsten Herausforderungen der nächsten Jahre. ACTA kommt von der EU, die Vorratsdatenspeicherung kam von der EU. Aber auch die Chancen liegen bei ihr. Grundrecht auf Internetzugang? Verbesserungen des Urheberrechts? Einheitliche Sozialstandards? Für sie gilt es zu arbeiten. Über die Grenzen hinweg.

Ich habe mich um einen Platz am Wintercamp beworben. Es gab nur 80 Plätze und sicher deutlich mehr interessierte. Die Bewerbung bestand vor allem aus zwei Fragen:

• What is your motivation to attend the camp?
• What is your previous experience with the topic?

Ich möchte meinen Bewerbungstext aus zwei Gründen teilen. Einerseits finde ich es Teil einer selbstverständliche politischen Transparenz davon zu berichten, was sich politisch tut, was man macht, mit wem, wo und warum. Und andererseits finde ich den Text, den ich verfasst habe gut. Er zeigt deutlich, wie ich zu Netzpolitik stehe.

A few lines about my motivation.

In times where a telecommunications data retention cancels out the presumption of innocence, where hadopi threatens the fundamental right of information, where governments use unconstitutional software (staatstrojaner) to keept their citizens under suveillance, where online enterprises like Google, Facebook and hundreds others sell the data their users entrust them with, the fight for a strong (european) citizens with strong fundamental rights has to be fought – and it has to be fought online. But to me, getting involved in politics concerning the web is not all about a dark future we have to prevent. Actually the opposite is the case. The development of the world wide web and especially the interconnectedness that the web2.0 brought us so many chances to become an more active, democratic, self-conscious society that these advantages easily prevail over the challenges – which do exist – that come with the net. When I think about the potential of things like blogs, liquid feedback, grass root movements, crowd sourcing or social sharing I get excited. The vision of a strong, informed, active, empowered, educated, socially fair european society that knows about the enormous advantages of being online, is one that I am willing to work for hard. Because I believe in it.

This is the one core reason why I want to participate in the wintercamp. But there is more to it. I am an ambitious, motivated and I would say fairly capable young green elected representative in my local district parliament. Through my work I want to change things. But often I feel isolated. But I know there are others out there. Just like me. I want to get to know them. I want to exchange my experiences with them and learn from them. And – very important – see that they struggle as well some times. And I think a seminar like this is about the best place to go for this kind of networking.

However I do not feel like these two motivations compete with each other in any way. I think they work together rather well.

And about my previous experiences

I am politically active because of the web. In 2008 I started to read a blog of a green member of parliament. I commented and he took me seriously. Answered and argued with me. I liked that very much – being accepted as equal. This is mostly why I pursued my political interest and landed where I now am. “Netzpolitik” was my thing from the beginning on. I’ve blogged about it ever since 2009. I am taking active part in a round table “Netzpolitik” hosted by MEP Albert Steinhauser*. I have been to several barcamps and already thought a lot about issues concerning privacy, copy right, industrial property rights, basic income guarantee – but also new chances for our democracy (as partys, nations but also europe) and the quality of our social life. I am constantly thinking about how to promote openness and transparency (that’s why I for example post my working hours as a mandatary on my blog – for example http://arminsoyka.at/blog/arbeitsprotokoll-bezirksrat-dezember-2012/).

To make the long story short: Netzpolitik is my thing. I am thinking, writing and talking about it for almost three years now and I want to learn more and exchange my ideas.

Huiuuuuiuiii. Da ist mir ein Fehler unterlaufen. Albert Steinhauser ist natürlich kein Member of European Parliament (MEP) sondern nur 1/183 der Österreichischen Gesetzgebung – sprich MAP, Member of Austrian Parliament.