InternetNZ's missed opportunity

Open and uncapturable is the mission of InternetNZ and the promise to push for access to the internet for everyone. This is what we as a incorporated society stand for and what we try to push. We, all the members of InternetNZ.

Yesterday at 10:00 AM the internet saw the first ever dedicated indigenous script going online in the form of the Maori macron implementation in the .nz namespace. The implementation of IDNs is an imminent step to acceptance of non English (non ASCII based) scripts on the internet and the broader access to information in native languages. The IDN implementation in .nz is the first IDN implementation in a English speaking ccTLD and the first ever that was done specifically to support indigenous people. The timing was perfect as yesterday also the Te Reo language week started as a sign to support and in fact revive the Maori language in NZ.

Making IDNs accepted in a society needs a lot of education and this would have been the perfect moment to run a media campaign to explain what IDNs are, why they are important and what we, as a society, do to enable the native Maori script on the internet.

I feel ashamed that InternetNZ's number one topic yesterday was Telecom and not the Maori language week. No mention of IDNs and no mention on the website other than a small note on the side bar that links to the press release from Friday.

This is in my view not pushing for an open and uncapturable internet, this is a missed opportunity and a lack of understanding to say the least. I see a big opportunity to push for true openness missed by playing politics instead of standing for our own values. I feel ashamed being part of this society.