Re: [antitrust-policy] Who enforces an Antitrust Policy for the IETF

Marshall Eubanks <marshall.eubanks@gmail.com> Sat, 21 January 2012 19:29 UTC

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Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:29:34 -0500
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From: Marshall Eubanks <marshall.eubanks@gmail.com>
To: "John R. Levine" <johnl@iecc.com>
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Subject: Re: [antitrust-policy] Who enforces an Antitrust Policy for the IETF
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On Sat, Jan 21, 2012 at 2:22 PM, John R. Levine <johnl@iecc.com> wrote:
>>> Lawyer: Do you make any attempt to enforce that policy?
>>>
>>> IETF person: Not really.
>>
>>
>> IETF Person' : We have a clear policy and steps to make sure that
>> every participant sees and reads that policy. We also
>> provide training to those in leadership positions, such as working
>> Group Chairs and higher level chairs.
>
>
> Russ was saying that we wouldn't have an enforcement plan, you're saying
> that that we would, putting the primary responsibility on WG chairs.  Can
> you two have an argument and decide who won?
>
> Keeping in mind that this policy, unlike all the existing IETF policies, is
> primarily to deflect lawsuits against the IETF, this means that if I were a
> WG chair and some sort of antitrust naughtiness happened in my group, the
> presumption would be that I let it happen so it's my fault. Even if it
> happened at a meeting when I wasn't there. (This is how lawyers think. Ask
> one if you don't believe me.)

And, if it that should happen without a plan, they will still blame
you and will cite you this email as they do so.

I fail to see how that is better.

Regards
Marshall

>
> I can't say that I would have much interest in being a WG chair under those
> conditions.
>
> Regards,
> John Levine, johnl@iecc.com, Primary Perpetrator of "The Internet for
> Dummies",
> Please consider the environment before reading this e-mail. http://jl.ly