Schmidt's Washington Speech On North Korea, Internet and Dictatorships

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SchmidtsWashingtonspeechonNorthKorea,Internetanddictatorships
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Schmidts Washington speech on North

Korea, Internet and dictatorships
Google has posted video of Eric Schmidts remarks at the recent
Big Tent event in Washington, D.C.
The Googleorganized events act as idea summits and have been
running for about three years and the D.C. event took place on
April 26.
During his speech, the chairman of Google talked about North
Korea and the impact that the connected world, and the Internet
in particular, would have on authoritarian countries.
Eric Schmidt, chairman of Google,

speaks at the companys Big Tent
event in Washington, D.C., on April
26, 2013.
In North Korea we visited with the government, of course thats

all there is in North Korea, and we went to the Korea Computer
Center and they asked us all about future versions of Android, he said in the speech. Obviously they
have access, at least in the government, to what we are doing, as if I was going to tell the future
roadmap of Android to the North Koreans. I obviously didnt.
Ive been waiting for the video to verify exactly what he said after
a report in the Chosun Ilbo made it seem like the North Koreans
were asking Schmidt for topsecret software code. see image,
right
In fact, rather than trying to get classified software technology
as the Chosun Ilbo painted, it appears the computer scientists
just wanted to know what features would be available in future
versions of Android. Pretty much everyone in the mobile industry
has the same question something Google could reveal that
later this week at its I/O conference in San Francisco.
Getting Android doesnt even need Googles permission. The
basic version of Android is opensource software that can be
freely downloaded from the Internet. An export license may
A screenshot from the Chosun Ilbo

website on April 29, 2103.
officially be required, but that doesnt appear to have been a

hurdle so far.
That basic version doesnt include the Google services, like Gmail, Maps or YouTube. For those apps a
licensing agreement is required with Google.
Beyond the North Koreaspecific comments, the whole thing is worth watching if youre interested in
whats driving Schmidt these days. Listen and it will become clear that his January trip to Pyongyang
wasnt at all about opening up North Korea to Google, but about opening up a dialogue with the
country about its comingtransitionto a more connected place. Thats something he sees as
inevitable.
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Were going to see this oneway valve from the connected world to the nonconnected world, and
this is going to happen whether we like it or not, he said.
More connectivity will not only transform the lives of North Koreans, but has the chance to
fundamentally change the way the rest of the world looks at North Korea. Right now, too much of the
world views North Korea by its governments actions and sees the people as nothing more than a
brainwashed populous. Schmidt argues that will change.
All of a sudden were going to hear the distinct voices of citizens in those countries in a way weve
never heard before, and by the way, theyre just like us. Theyre human beings, theyre curious, they
want the right things for their children, they want good health, they dont want war, all those kinds of
things, he said.
But he acknowledges that authoritarian governments are going to push against further expansion of
communications technology.
Governments are going to work really, really hard to stop this because they way to really get a
dictator going is to threaten their authority, which is the way revolutions occur, he said.
There was a final shoutout to North Korea, when Schmidt said he viewed the country as the second
worst for connectivity and flow of information in the world.
Whats interesting is that I had always thought the worst place was North Korea, and Ive since
discovered there is an even worse place, which is Eritrea, which I have not yet been able to go to but is
my objective, Schmidt said.
Eritrea usually sits with North Korea at the bottom of the Reporters Without Borders and Freedom
House press freedom rankings.
Reporters Without Borders recently characterized Eritrea as, a vast open prison for its people.
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Related posts:
1. DPRK again at bottom of press freedom ranking
2. DPRK officials indicated Internet is inevitable, says Sophie Schmidt
3. Eric Schmidt on his North Korean visit
4. Schmidts Internet message well received, says Richardson
5. Eric Schmidt and the North Korean Internet dilemma
Eric Schmidt, Google, Reporters Without Borders
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This entry was posted by Martyn Williams on May 13, 2013 at 14:01, and is filed under Censorship,
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1426178298449.

Anonymous attacks North Korean sites again

Google on North Korean maps

Schmidts Washington speech on North

Eric Schmidt, chairman of Google,

In North Korea we visited with the government, of course thats

A screenshot from the Chosun Ilbo

officially be required, but that doesnt appear to have been a

Eric Schmidt, Google, Reporters Without Borders

North Korea questions at State Dept.

North Korea questions at State Dept.

North Korea questions at State Dept.

North Korea questions at State Dept.

Anonymous Associated Press

IDG Jang Song Thaek

Kim Il Sung University

Open Radio for North Korea

OpNorthKorea Orascom Pyongyang

Reporters Without Borders

United States Uriminzokkiri

Copyright 2015 North Korea Tech

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