July 2017 - isoc - Skunkworks Site

INVESTOR BULLETIN: INITIAL COIN OFFERINGS
by WANGARI KABIRU 31 Jul '17

31 Jul '17

A great piece below for those interested in the coins space. Would Kenya have ICOs? Blessed week! Regards/Wangari --- Pray God Bless. 2013Wangari circa - "Being of the Light, We are Restored Through Faith in Mind, Body and Spirit; We Manifest The Kingdom of God on Earth". : https://www.investor.gov/additional-resources/news-alerts/alerts-bulletins/… INVESTOR BULLETIN: INITIAL COIN OFFERINGS 07/25/2017 Developers, businesses, and individuals increasingly are using initial coin offerings, also called ICOs or token sales, to raise capital. These activities may provide fair and lawful investment opportunities. However, new technologies and financial products, such as those associated with ICOs, can be used improperly to entice investors with the promise of high returns in a new investment space. The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Bulletin to make investors aware of potential risks of participating in ICOs. Background – Initial Coin Offerings Virtual coins or tokens are created and disseminated using distributed ledger or blockchain technology. Recently promoters have been selling virtual coins or tokens in ICOs. Purchasers may use fiat currency (e.g., U.S. dollars) or virtual currencies to buy these virtual coins or tokens. Promoters may tell purchasers that the capital raised from the sales will be used to fund development of a digital platform, software, or other projects and that the virtual tokens or coins may be used to access the platform, use the software, or otherwise participate in the project. Some promoters and initial sellers may lead buyers of the virtual coins or tokens to expect a return on their investment or to participate in a share of the returns provided by the project. After they are issued, the virtual coins or tokens may be resold to others in a secondary market on virtual currency exchanges or other platforms. Depending on the facts and circumstances of each individual ICO, the virtual coins or tokens that are offered or sold may be securities. If they are securities, the offer and sale of these virtual coins or tokens in an ICO are subject to the federal securities laws. On July 25, 2017, the SEC issued a Report of Investigation under Section 21(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 describing an SEC investigation of The DAO, a virtual organization, and its use of distributed ledger or blockchain technology to facilitate the offer and sale of DAO Tokens to raise capital. The Commission applied existing U.S. federal securities laws to this new paradigm, determining that DAO Tokens were securities. The Commission stressed that those who offer and sell securities in the U.S. are required to comply with federal securities laws, regardless of whether those securities are purchased with virtual currencies or distributed with blockchain technology. To facilitate understanding of this new and complex area, here are some basic concepts that you should understand before investing in virtual coins or tokens: What is a blockchain? A blockchain is an electronic distributed ledger or list of entries – much like a stock ledger – that is maintained by various participants in a network of computers. Blockchains use cryptography to process and verify transactions on the ledger, providing comfort to users and potential users of the blockchain that entries are secure. Some examples of blockchain are the Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains, which are used to create and track transactions in bitcoin and ether, respectively. What is a virtual currency or virtual token or coin? A virtual currency is a digital representation of value that can be digitally traded and functions as a medium of exchange, unit of account, or store of value. Virtual tokens or coins may represent other rights as well. Accordingly, in certain cases, the tokens or coins will be securities and may not be lawfully sold without registration with the SEC or pursuant to an exemption from registration. What is a virtual currency exchange? A virtual currency exchange is a person or entity that exchanges virtual currency for fiat currency, funds, or other forms of virtual currency. Virtual currency exchanges typically charge fees for these services. Secondary market trading of virtual tokens or coins may also occur on an exchange. These exchanges may not be registered securities exchanges or alternative trading systems regulated under the federal securities laws. Accordingly, in purchasing and selling virtual coins and tokens, you may not have the same protections that would apply in the case of stocks listed on an exchange. Who issues virtual tokens or coins? Virtual tokens or coins may be issued by a virtual organization or other capital raising entity. A virtual organization is an organization embodied in computer code and executed on a distributed ledger or blockchain. The code, often called a “smart contract,” serves to automate certain functions of the organization, which may include the issuance of certain virtual coins or tokens. The DAO, which was a decentralized autonomous organization, is an example of a virtual organization. Some Key Points to Consider When Determining Whether to Participate in an ICO If you are thinking about participating in an ICO, here are some things you should consider. Depending on the facts and circumstances, the offering may involve the offer and sale of securities. If that is the case, the offer and sale of virtual coins or tokens must itself be registered with the SEC, or be performed pursuant to an exemption from registration. Before investing in an ICO, ask whether the virtual tokens or coins are securities and whether the persons selling them registered the offering with the SEC. A few things to keep in mind about registration:If an offering is registered, you can find information (such as a registration statement or “Form S-1”) on SEC.gov throughEDGAR.If a promoter states that an offering is exempt from registration, and you are not an accredited investor, you should be very careful – most exemptions have net worth or income requirements.Although ICOs are sometimes described ascrowdfunding contracts, it is possible that they are not being offered and sold in compliance with the requirements of Regulation Crowdfunding or with the federal securities laws generally. Ask what your money will be used for and what rights the virtual coin or token provides to you. The promoter should have a clear business plan that you can read and that you understand. The rights the token or coin entitles you to should be clearly laid out, often in a white paper or development roadmap. You should specifically ask about how and when you can get your money back in the event you wish to do so. For example, do you have a right to give the token or coin back to the company or to receive a refund? Or can you resell the coin or token? Are there any limitations on your ability to resell the coin or token?If the virtual token or coin is a security, federal and state securities laws require investment professionals and their firms who offer, transact in, or advise on investments to be licensed or registered. You can visit Investor.gov to check the registration status and background of these investment professionals.Ask whether the blockchain is open and public, whether the code has been published, and whether there has been an independent cybersecurity audit.Fraudsters often use innovations and new technologies to perpetrate fraudulent investment schemes. Fraudsters may entice investors by touting an ICO investment “opportunity” as a way to get into this cutting-edge space, promising or guaranteeing high investment returns. Investors should always be suspicious of jargon-laden pitches, hard sells, and promises of outsized returns. Also, it is relatively easy for anyone to use blockchain technology to create an ICO that looks impressive, even though it might actually be a scam.Virtual currency exchanges and other entities holding virtual currencies, virtual tokens or coins may be susceptible to fraud, technical glitches, hacks, or malware. Virtual tokens or virtual currency may be stolen by hackers. Investing in an ICO may limit your recovery in the event of fraud or theft. While you may have rights under the federal securities laws, your ability to recover may be significantly limited. If fraud or theft results in you or the organization that issued the virtual tokens or coins losing virtual tokens, virtual currency, or fiat currency, you may have limited recovery options. Third-party wallet services, payment processors, and virtual currency exchanges that play important roles in the use of virtual currencies may be located overseas or be operating unlawfully. Law enforcement officials may face particular challenges when investigating ICOs and, as a result, investor remedies may be limited. These challenges include: Tracing money. Traditional financial institutions (such as banks) often are not involved with ICOs or virtual currency transactions, making it more difficult to follow the flow of money.International scope. ICOs and virtual currency transactions and users span the globe. Although the SEC regularly obtains information from abroad (such as through cross-border agreements), there may be restrictions on how the SEC can use the information and it may take more time to get the information. In some cases, the SEC may be unable to obtain information from persons or entities located overseas.No central authority. As there is no central authority that collects virtual currency user information, the SEC generally must rely on other sources for this type of information.Freezing or securing virtual currency. Law enforcement officials may have difficulty freezing or securing investor funds that are held in a virtual currency. Virtual currency wallets are encrypted and unlike money held in a bank or brokerage account, virtual currencies may not be held by a third-party custodian. Be careful if you spot any of these potential warning signs of investment fraud. “Guaranteed” high investment returns. There is no such thing as guaranteed high investment returns. Be wary of anyone who promises that you will receive a high rate of return on your investment, with little or no risk.Unsolicited offers. An unsolicited sales pitch may be part of a fraudulent investment scheme. Exercise extreme caution if you receive an unsolicited communication—meaning you didn’t ask for it and don’t know the sender—about an investment opportunity.Sounds too good to be true. If the investment sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember that investments providing higher returns typically involve more risk.Pressure to buy RIGHT NOW. Fraudsters may try to create a false sense of urgency to get in on the investment. Take your time researching an investment opportunity before handing over your money.Unlicensed sellers. Many fraudulent investment schemes involve unlicensed individuals or unregistered firms. Check license and registration status on Investor.gov.No net worth or income requirements. The federal securities laws require securities offerings to be registered with the SEC unless an exemption from registration applies. Many registration exemptions require that investors are accredited investors; some others have investment limits. Be highly suspicious of private (i.e., unregistered) investment opportunities that do not ask about your net worth or income or whether investment limits apply. *** Before making any investment, carefully read any materials you are given and verify the truth of every statement you are told about the investment. For more information about how to research an investment, read our publication Ask Questions. Investigate the individuals and firms offering the investment, and check out their backgrounds onInvestor.gov and by contacting your state securities regulator. Many fraudulent investment schemes involve unlicensed individuals or unregistered firms. Additional Resources SEC Investor Alert: Bitcoin and Other Virtual Currency-Related Investments SEC Investor Alert: Ponzi Schemes Using Virtual Currencies SEC Investor Alert: Social Media and Investing – Avoiding Fraud The Office of Investor Education and Advocacy has provided this information as a service to investors. It is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of SEC policy. If you have questions concerning the meaning or application of a particular law or rule, please consult with an attorney who specializes in securities law.

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Re: [isoc_ke] Winding up of the mailing list
by Barrack Otieno 28 Jul '17

28 Jul '17

Dear Colleagues, This is to notify you that this mailing list will be brought down at the end of the month on 31/ 07/2017. As you may recall this mailing list was set up to coordinate the creation of the Internet Society Kenya Chapter. The Chapter uses the connect platform for discussions meaning the current list has outlived its usefullness. If you are not on the connect platform please visit http://www.internetsociety.org/ and get aquainted with the process. You can also reach out to the Chapter office through https://internetsociety.or.ke/. Thank you Best Regards -- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254733206359 Skype: barrack.otieno PGP ID: 0x2611D86A

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To succeed, edtech must be at the service of teaching, not the other way around.....
by WANGARI KABIRU 27 Jul '17

27 Jul '17

To succeed, edtech must be at the service of teaching, not the other way around..... Together, technology and teachers can revamp schools | | | | | | | | | | | Together, technology and teachers can revamp schools How the science of learning can get the best out of edtech | | | | "...IN 1953 B.F. Skinner visited his daughter’s maths class. The Harvard psychologist found every pupil learning the same topic in the same way at the same speed. A few days later he built his first “teaching machine”, which let children tackle questions at their own pace. By the mid-1960s similar gizmos were being flogged by door-to-door salesmen. Within a few years, though, enthusiasm for them had fizzled out.Since then education technology (edtech) has repeated the cycle of hype and flop, even as computers have reshaped almost every other part of life. One reason is the conservatism of teachers and their unions. But another is that the brain-stretching potential of edtech has remained unproven.....Today, however, Skinner’s heirs are forcing the sceptics to think again (see article). Backed by billionaire techies such as Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, schools around the world are using new software to “personalise” learning. This could help hundreds of millions of children stuck in dismal classes—but only if edtech boosters can resist the temptation to revive harmful ideas about how children learn. To succeed, edtech must be at the service of teaching, not the other way around....." Read on! Blessed day. Regards/Wangari --- Pray God Bless. 2013Wangari circa - "Being of the Light, We are Restored Through Faith in Mind, Body and Spirit; We Manifest The Kingdom of God on Earth".

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Trump, Putin discuss working together on cyber issues
by WANGARI KABIRU 10 Jul '17

10 Jul '17

http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/341062-russian-official-trump-and-p… A working group that Kenya may join perhaps!The pundits on the other hand....Read on! ......Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov both indicated the countries would focus on cybersecurity, though described potential efforts in different terms.Lavrov – who attended the meeting with Trump, Putin and Tillerson – told reporters that the U.S. and Russia would launch a "bilateral working group" that included a focus on cybersecurity.Tillerson said the "framework" would deal with "how these tools are used to interfere with the internal affairs of countries, but also how the tools are used to threaten infrastructure, how these tools are used from a terrorism standpoint as well." Democrats on Friday raised alarm bells over the U.S. and Russia potentially working together on cyber issues. Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee investigating Russia's meddling in the election, said establishing a working group with Russia "would be akin to inviting the North Koreans to participate in a commission on nonproliferation."Schiff said the idea "tacitly adopts the fiction that the Russians are a constructive partner on the subject instead of the worst actor on the world stage.""This is like giving the alarm code to the guys who just burglarized your home. Just make it easier for them next time," Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) similarly tweeted. Read on.... Blessed day Regards/Wangari --------- Trump, Putin discuss working together on cyber issues BY JOE UCHILL - 07/07/17 06:20 PM EDT 3867,5108.6K © GettyU.S. and Russian officials indicated Friday that the two countries would work together in a number of areas, including cybersecurity.The officials revealed the effort following the first high-stakes meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Group of 20 summit in Germany.Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov both indicated the countries would focus on cybersecurity, though described potential efforts in different terms.Lavrov – who attended the meeting with Trump, Putin and Tillerson – told reporters that the U.S. and Russia would launch a "bilateral working group" that included a focus on cybersecurity."It was agreed that all of these issues, including anti-terrorism efforts, fight against organized crime and hacker activities in any of their manifestations will be in focus of bilateral Russian-US cooperation. A bilateral working group will be set up for these ends," Lavrov said, according to Russian state news outlet TASS.ADVERTISEMENTMeanwhile, Tillerson told reporters that leaders planned to put in place "a working-level group" to handle cybersecurity issues."The two leaders also acknowledge the challenges of cyber threats and interference in the democratic processes of the United States and other countries, and agreed to explore creating a framework around which the two countries can work together to better understand how to deal with these cyber threats," Tillerson said.Tillerson said the "framework" would deal with "how these tools are used to interfere with the internal affairs of countries, but also how the tools are used to threaten infrastructure, how these tools are used from a terrorism standpoint as well."While Tillerson's remarks alluded to the joint effort including a focus on government-directed cybersecurity attacks, such as the 2016 U.S. election meddling Russia is accused of carrying out, Lavrov's comments did not appear to reference such an effort.Tillerson said the operation on the U.S. side would be run out of the State Department and national security adviser's office.The announcement raised eyebrows of Russia experts worried that Putin may be taking advantage of Trump and that pursuing cooperation before deterrence for recent Russian attacks might send the wrong message. "If the Russians want to coordinate with us on cybersecurity it's likely an operation to do intelligence gathering," said Jim Townsend, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO who is currently an adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security. "Usually when Russians make an offer to the U.S. these days, it's not because they like us."Instead, said Townsend, the move could be one to harvest the prestige of working with the United States and as a chance to peek at the United State's team of experts and approach to the issue.It is not likely, he said, a type of task force would accomplish much due to the layers of secrecy both nations would place in front of their envoys and the fact that Russia is viewed by most allied nations to be the perpetrator of many destructive cyberattacks. Democrats on Friday raised alarm bells over the U.S. and Russia potentially working together on cyber issues. Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee investigating Russia's meddling in the election, said establishing a working group with Russia "would be akin to inviting the North Koreans to participate in a commission on nonproliferation."Schiff said the idea "tacitly adopts the fiction that the Russians are a constructive partner on the subject instead of the worst actor on the world stage.""This is like giving the alarm code to the guys who just burglarized your home. Just make it easier for them next time," Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) similarly tweeted.

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Fw: [Internet Policy] Capital I or small i(nternet)
by WANGARI KABIRU 03 Jul '17

03 Jul '17

Blessed Monday to all! Interesting discussion in the ISOC circles. Legal usage and who defines what is correct - a unique position with a "said multistakeholder model" Is the CAPS or lower case more on Brand, identity, ownership, (de)centralisation? A good point also is distinction between WWW and Internet (or internet). Be blessed. Regards/Wangari --- Pray God Bless. 2013Wangari circa - "Being of the Light, We are Restored Through Faith in Mind, Body and Spirit; We Manifest The Kingdom of God on Earth". On Sunday, 2 July 2017, 20:30, Richard Hill <rhill(a)hill-a.ch> wrote: #yiv9895996481 #yiv9895996481 -- _filtered #yiv9895996481 {panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;} _filtered #yiv9895996481 {font-family:Calibri;panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;} _filtered #yiv9895996481 {font-family:Tahoma;panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}#yiv9895996481 #yiv9895996481 p.yiv9895996481MsoNormal, #yiv9895996481 li.yiv9895996481MsoNormal, #yiv9895996481 div.yiv9895996481MsoNormal {margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;}#yiv9895996481 a:link, #yiv9895996481 span.yiv9895996481MsoHyperlink {color:blue;text-decoration:underline;}#yiv9895996481 a:visited, #yiv9895996481 span.yiv9895996481MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple;text-decoration:underline;}#yiv9895996481 p.yiv9895996481MsoAcetate, #yiv9895996481 li.yiv9895996481MsoAcetate, #yiv9895996481 div.yiv9895996481MsoAcetate {margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:8.0pt;}#yiv9895996481 span.yiv9895996481BalloonTextChar {}#yiv9895996481 span.yiv9895996481EmailStyle19 {color:#1F497D;}#yiv9895996481 .yiv9895996481MsoChpDefault {} _filtered #yiv9895996481 {margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}#yiv9895996481 div.yiv9895996481WordSection1 {}#yiv9895996481 Dear Ayden, Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I would recommend reading at least pages 1-3, 14, and 23-24 and of the Supreme Court judgment, which is at: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/16pdf/15-1194_08l1.pdf I wonder to what extent the court’s thinking was influenced by the fact that the law they struck down did not refer to the Internet, but to the “Web”. I’m sure we all agree that there is only one World Wide Web, so the correct usage is the proper noun, Web, when referring to the WWW (as opposed to using web to refer to the generic technology, as in “a private company can operate a private web, also referred to as an intranet”). Be that as it may, the court referred to “the Internet” or “the internet” without defining either term. As I’ve explained elsewhere[1] there are many definitions of the term “Internet”. The one that I like best is the 1995 definition of the US Federal Networking Council[2]: “the global information system that:(i) is logically linked together by a globally unique address space based on the Internet Protocol (IP) or its subsequent extensions/follow-ons;(ii) is able to support communications using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite or its subsequent extensions/follow-ons, and/or other IP-compatible protocols; and(iii) provides, uses or makes accessible, either publicly or privately, high level services layered on the communications and related infrastructure described herein." This definition would appear to me to apply to a particular global system, which system should be referred to by a proper noun, that is “the Internet”. However, it is interesting to note that the telephone network is also a global system that is (i) logically linked together by a globally unique address space and (ii) is able to support communications using protocols. Yet nobody would think of referring to the telephone network with a proper noun, as “the Telephone Network”. Is that because the telephone network does not provide high-level services on top of its infrastructure? That is, do we think of “the Internet” because of “the World Wide Web”? And, if there were no World Wide Web, would we think of “the internet” as infrastructure, which is what Justice Alito seems to do? Thanks again and best,Richard [1] Richard Hill (2014), "The Internet, its governance, and the multi-Stakeholder model", Info, vol. 16. no. 2, March 2014[2] See footnote xv of Robert E. Kahn and Vinton G. Cerf . “What Is The Internet (And What Makes It Work)” December, 1999, available at: http://www.cnri.reston.va.us/what_is_internet.html ------ On Sun, 2 Jul 2017, Richard Hill wrote: Show original message Also interesting: oral argument from oyez.org: https://www.oyez.org/cases/2016/15-1194 I recommend a whole thing, one of my favourite excerpts: ----- Elena Kagan So -- so a -- so a person in this situation, for example, cannot go onto the President's Twitter account to find out what the President is saying today? Robert C. Montgomery That -- that's correct, Your Honor. Elena Kagan Not only the President. I mean, we're sort of aware of it because the President now uses Twitter. ----- Marcin Cieślak Internet Society Poland From: InternetPolicy [mailto:internetpolicy-bounces@elists.isoc.org] On Behalf Of Ayden Férdeline Sent: Saturday, July 1, 2017 19:50 To: Roland Perry Cc: internetpolicy(a)elists.isoc.org Subject: Re: [Internet Policy] Capital I or small i(nternet) Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I found this interesting: a majority of the US Supreme Court has capitalised the 'I' in Internet, treating it as a proper noun, in a recent decision: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/pay5ek/internet-or-internet-the-… Best wishes, Ayden Férdelinelinkedin.com/in/ferdeline -------- Original Message --------Subject: [Internet Policy] Capital I or small i(nternet)Local Time: April 23, 2017 3:06 PMUTC Time: April 23, 2017 2:06 PMFrom: roland(a)perry.co.ukTo: internetpolicy(a)elists.isoc.org I'm old enough to regard the correct term as 'Internet' not 'internet'; for example in regular press releases, news stories etc. Does ISOC (or is that iSOC) have advice about this for the world at large?-- Roland Perry_______________________________________________

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