IGF 2014

This pre-event will bring together sexual rights activists, women's human rights defenders and gender equality advocates at the IGF to discuss emerging issues in the intersections of sexuality rights and Internet rights. The program will cover strategies for engaging gender issues with the IGF's thematic tracks. This includes a presentation of an evolving set of Feminist Principles of the Internet for discussion, as well as a session for IGF participants (including diverse stakeholders) on how to engage multiple stakeholders to bring these discussions on women's rights and sexual rights into the discourse on Internet governance.

Registration for this event must be done by email to nadine@apcwomen.org before August 30. Places are limited.

The impact of disseminating local content extends beyond national, and linguistic boundaries. It shapes up the diversified cultural identities of nations while catalyzing the interweaving of the information and knowledge societies.

The workshop brings together prominent entities with different backgrounds that have significantly hit the headlines as pioneers and promoters of multilingual content creation and dissemination. Speakers will highlight the different approaches in creating and availing digital content and present monitoring tools while opening a vivid channel of discussion with the audience. The dialog aims to reveal the challenges encountered to fulfill accessibility in terms of policy making and other issues.

The diversified approaches presented by the panel will shed light on how cultural and linguistic diversity can be maintained within the information and knowledge societies using information and communication technologies, while inspiring decision makers on how the enabling environment can be created and supported by governments. Speakers from Australia, Europe, USA, Africa,the Middle East and representatives of International Organizations, illustrate best practices of modeling digital content in several contexts.

Special attention will be paid to monitoring and promotion of local content creation and access in lesser-used and languages in danger. Over 50% of some 6700 languages spoken today are in danger of disappearing. Many other languages will disappear in near future and some will lose their influence and relevance at global, national and local levels.

The workshop aims to be a common ground opening rich discussion between diverse stakeholders aiming to safeguard unbounded access while respecting, preserving and promoting the diversity within the information society.

Description:

This Open Forum will introduce the Internet Society (ISOC) and its mission, which is to promote an open, accessible, reliable, and resilient Internet around the world. We will describe how our teams work with partners on issues related to open standards, IXP development, facilitation of enabling environments, and how we address policy and regulatory matters in a variety of fora to promote an open Internet for everyone. We will also use the forum to introduce our teams and what they do, to describe our chapters, and describe work we undertake with partners to develop infrastructure, advocate for an open and sustainable Internet, develop best practices and communities of interest. As the organisational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force, we support innovation and open standards, and we will describe how our technology teams work to support IETF, open standards, key technologies, and best current operational practices.

Program and Speakers:

1. Introduction to the Internet Society (Kathy Brown) (5 minutes)
2. From global to local: Overview of ISOC's regional teams, Chapters and related work (Raúl Echeberría) (10 minutes)
3. Practical case: ISOC’s policy & technical work in Europe (Frédéric Donck) (10 minutes)
4. ISOC at the crossroads of all stakeholder communities (Walda Roseman) (10 minutes)
5. Key focus area: Internet Governance related work (Sally Wentworth) (10 minutes
6. Technical roots: ISOC's relationship with the Internet Architecture Board and the Internet Engineering Task Force (Russ Housley) (10 minutes)
7. Closing Perspectives:  ISOC Board (Dave Farber) (10 minutes)
8. Q&A

The growing complexity and significance of Internet governance necessitates addressing the difficult issues that impact, or are impacted by the continued evolution of the global Internet. Capturing these issues requires that the roles played by intergovernmental, and governmental stakeholders in collaboration with Internet technical professionals, private sector businesses and other non-governmental stakeholders be better understood. Successfully dealing with these all-important Internet governance aspects requires connecting several, sometimes-disparate areas of technology, policy, development and civil society to work on solutions and act in concert to ensure collaborative stewardship of the Internet continues.

Program
Each panel member will provide an opening statement regarding the challenges and issues they see with the changing Internet Governance landscape as well as the roles that everyone, including governments, have in the multistakeholder process.

An open discussion will follow with the Moderator providing questions for the discussion.

Specifically, the panel will be asked to address the following questions during the open and interactive discussion:
• The Internet is expanding exponentially - Who is responsible for identifying the Internet governance knowledge gap among the different stakeholder groups?

• What can be done to bridge the Internet governance knowledge gap in terms of resourcing, scaling, and awareness building?


• How should these knowledge gap issues, and discussion be used to improve the global Internet openness and collaborative multistakeholder engagement?


• Where there are issues that may disrupt the roles of existing stakeholders, how should consensus on key principles or outcomes be reached for solutions that benefit the global Internet rather than special interests?


• How should market-specific challenges or issues that are particular to a local community be approached for the global Internet to continue its innovative contributions?

The multi‐stakeholder model has been an important factor for the success of the Internet. However it is necessary to recognize that the Internet governance dynamics have changed. The new dynamics among stakeholders is associated with an overall increase of complexity and differentiation and suggests that it is increasingly difficult for one single governance regime to address the broad range of concerns associated with today’s Internet. What is needed is to allow for a better match between discrete governance issues and the suitable institutions available.
The panel addresses this situation by advancing an innovative model. It asks whether it is feasible to consider an evolution of the current system to allow for a better interplay among the different actors of the governance process towards a multi‐stakeholder model with variable geometry.

While all stakeholders need to participate in the multi-stakeholder model on equal footing when different governance issues and institutions are envisaged and discussed, then in the implementation of the governance process one stakeholder or a coalition of stakeholders (variable geometry) could take the lead according to the nature of the governance issue at stake: e.g. standards (the private sector), Internet issues relevant to particular communities (civil society), human rights (government).
The variable geometry approach has been discussed in the WTO negotiations to take into account differences among countries participating in the agreement (for instance developing countries) and to reduce the perennial tension between depth and width of the treaties.
The workshop will explore what can be learnt from these experiences for the Internet governance context.

For almost as long as there has been an Internet governance ecosystem, there have been researchers and academics studying and assessing it. Today's researchers are expanding connections between the study of Internet governance and that of governance more broadly. Additionally, Internet governance scholarship is increasingly seeking to offer more concrete guidance and resources that could be used to help build innovative tools for participation. This panel will discuss current trends in research and toolkit development, and explore how future academic research might helpfully contribute to the on-going development of the IG ecosystem.

The “digital economy”, based on the Internet, allows large or small businesses to have a global reach, to virtualize their processes, to mobilize their employees and business associates, and to drive velocity into their efforts. We need to consider the co-dependent relationship of globalization and the Internet, as a driver of future models of governance, economics and trade.

The workshop’s goal is to offer best practices by which we can advance new “global visions” for bringing economic growth and societal benefit through the “digital economy”.

Panelists, drawing on case studies, will explore the workshop’s subject:

- Innovation: Globalization based on the Internet, with its focus on dispersed production and value-chains, and consequent interdependence between countries, has created potential for new visions for innovation with significant implications for trade and investment.
- The Potential for economic growth and development: ICTs have increased globalization and enhanced the flows of human capital across borders, international communication has increased, all making possible a greater participation of emerging country citizens in the global economy.
- Governance policies impact on globalization: Government measures that limit globalization or that require “localization” should be examined for their impact on global trade and investment in the “digital economy.”
- The role of private sector stakeholders in globalization: Examine the vital role of the private sector, arising from private sector competition, investment, and diffusion of ICTs in fostering the benefits of globalization.

Agenda:

1. Free Flow of Data and Information for Fostering Innovation and Economic Growth
- Ross LaJeunesse, Head of International Policy, Google

2. Overcoming Contradictory tendencies in the “Digital Economy” with a Focus on Developing- Country Enterprises
- Dr. Rohan Samarajiva, Chair, LIRNEasia, Colombo, Sri Lanka

3. How Innovation in Emerging Countries Contribute to further Economic Growth and Social Development
- Minister Diego Molano Vega, Bogota, Colombia

4. Recent Policy and Regulatory Developments in the Termination of International Communication Traffic
- Sam Paltridge, OECD, Paris France

5. Current Cases concerning Required Localization of Networks and Data Storage and their Consequences for Trade Law
- Dr. John Selby, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia

6. Impact of Changing Market and Technology Realities on Current and Future Trade Negotiations and Internet Policies
- Jacqueline Ruff, Vice President, Verizon Corporation, Washington, DC

7. Limits and Potential for a New Vision of Globalization based on the Evolving Multistakeholder Model
- Subi Chaturvedi, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India

8. As we Pursue Policy Goals of Investment, Competition and Innovation in Global Markets are Legacy Regulatory Models in Alignment with Market Facts?
- Eric Loeb, Vice President, AT&T Corporation

Substantive Rapporteur: Jessica Jones, Government Relations Manager, BT America

7th Meeting of the
Dynamic Coalition on Internet and Climate Change (DCICC)

9th IGF Forum

Istanbul, Turkey

4 September 2014, from 9:00 to 10:30 (Room 6)

The Dynamic Coalition on Internet and Climate Change (DCICC) will gather key players from the Internet community and the ICT sector, such as governments, citizens, NGOs, business and academia, at its seventh physical meeting in Istanbul (Turkey) during the ninth IFG Forum.

Most of the economic value created by the Internet falls outside of the technology sector, with 75 percent of the benefits captured by companies in more traditional industries according to McKinsey.

Participants will present successful experiences and best practices from different regions of how providing access to the Internet, as well as harnessing ICT infrastructure and services, can spur economic growth and enable a sustainable use of natural resources.

Participants will also set out new priorities and actions to further advance the work of the DCICC in establishing collaborative multi-stakeholder partnerships to build a green economy, halt climate change and ensure a sustainable future using ICTs and the Internet.

Convener: Nevine Tewfik, Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Egypt

Agenda:

1. Opening remarks:

• H.E. Hasanul Haq Inu, Minister of Information, Bangladesh
• Tomas Lamanauskas, ITU

1. Tour de Table
2. Welcoming of new members
3. Presentation of key activities by participants of the DCICC, including brief oral presentations
4. Next steps and future activities of the DCICC
5. AOB
6. Conclusion 

Over the Top (OTT) services refer to the delivery of voice, video and data to end users through an unmanaged method over a network which is not provided by that network operator. As various services such as voice, texting, and broadcasting are converging, OTT services revolutionize the way in which ICT services are offered, foster innovation and create value added. On the other hand, they are affecting the whole broadband ecosystem including mainly fixed and mobile network operators. The impact of OTT can be seen in the rapid increase in the data traffic in recent years.

Within this context, this session is aimed at examining the implications of OTT services and facilitating a discussion among network operators, content providers and regulators.

Each speaker will be given 5-7 minutes to present his/her views on the issue. Then the floor will be open to participants also since the aim is to have an inclusive and open discussion on the subject. The social media contributors will also be given a voice by the moderator. 

Ever since the WSIS and WGIG a decade ago, many have argued that there is an important gap in the distributed institutional architecture of global IG. We lack ways to perform holistic, ongoing monitoring and analysis of policy-related developments, and to aggregate and disseminate information needed to make fully informed decisions. This is especially the case with so-called “orphaned” and multidimensional issues that do not fit neatly within any single organization. Where then can governments and stakeholders turn for accessibly formulated and usable information on policy, best practices, and lessons learned, and to connect with sources of experience and expertise in order to construct governance networks that can help identify forward-looking solutions?

Recently, there has been a number of proposals about this informational function. They vary not only in their details but even in how they label what is proposed, e.g. a clearing house, knowledge bank, observatory, policy network facilitator, IGF+, etc. While none of the labels fully capture the ideas in play, there is growing interest in moving forward, as is evidenced by the dialogues and initiatives in the IGF, WGEC, NETmundial, the High Level Panel, EC, ISOC, civil society, academic organizations, etc. Accordingly, the NonCommercial Users Constituency of ICANN (includes 94 organizations and 252 individuals in 81 countries) proposes this workshop to help advance and give shape to the discussion. The panelists and audience would brainstorm on such questions as: What, substantively and operationally, would be entailed by the function? What would be needed to institutionalize and perform it effectively? Which organizations would be involved, with what kinds of interrelationships?

The IRPC Charter of Human Rights and Principles for the Internet: Five Years On
This meeting marks five years since the IRPC Charter of Human Rights and Principles for the Internet begun as a collaborative, cross-sector project to develop a coherent and legally viable human rights framework that could be applied to Internet governance policy-making and processes. In that time it has moved from rough draft form to an authoritative working document that has framed and guided thinking across a number of sectors. This past year it has also started to be implemented on the ground. For instance, it has informed intergovernmental analyses of existing human rights for the online environment (e.g. the Council of Europe Guide on Human Rights for Internet Users) and legal analyses (e.g. the Chilean Institute of Human Rights). The Charter and its “Ten Punchy Principles” have proven their relevance as working models for grassroots awareness-raising campaigns (e.g. the Hivos IG-MENA Click Rights campaign), and innovative legislative initiatives (e.g. the NZ Greens’ Internet Rights and Freedoms Bill). The Charter work has also benefitted and learnt from precursor and parallel initiatives through the contributions of individuals and organizations in the IRPC such as the APC Bill of Internet Rights and the Brazilian Marco Civil da Internet. The IRPC Charter, as a whole and the 10 IRP Principles in particular, are also part of university curricula around the world, from Latin America to the Philippines, to the UK and the USA.
The current version of the Charter has made therefore achieved its goals and had a clear impact in human rights advocacy for the Internet. In addition it has been published in booklet form in five languages and so become accessible to new audiences online and in print form in this time. Because it has been developed as a comprehensive framework anchored in international human rights law and norms, the Charter has also been a formative contributor to increasing official recognition that online rights and fundamental freedoms matter too, e.g. the UNHRC 2012 Resolution and the NETmundial Outcome Document earlier this year. But these five years have also been marked by major technological developments, and revelations that have implications for how human rights can be protected and enjoyed online, and future roles and responsibilities for the Internet’s governance. Along with taking heart at these achievements comes the need to consider whether, and if so how, some parts of the Charter need revisiting in light of these changes.
Objectives and Agenda:
Roundtable: The first part of the meeting is a roundtable discussion. It assembles members of the original expert group who finalised the “collabowritten” draft developed by coalition participation, one of the current IRPC co-Chairs, and a representative from Article 19. Each speaker will nominate a section, or sub-section, that they consider needs revisiting or reconsideration and then present why and how they would revise that part. The outcomes of this discussion will be recorded as an initial outline for the next round of consultations to develop the next version of the IRPC Charter, pending support from the meeting and in collaboration with new partner organizations where pertinent.
Annual General Meeting: The second part of the session will be the coalition’s Annual General Meeting. A report of the past year’s activities and outputs will be available prior to the IGF. The IRPC Charter is available online in English and several other languages at http://Internetrightsandprinciples.org/site/.

ICANN sets several important domain name policies that determine what personal information is collected, published, or otherwise shared about Internet domain name registrants. ICANN’s WHOIS policy, its Registrar Accreditation Agreement, and other policies become a global standard for the handling of personal data about Internet users. What obligation does ICANN have to align its policies with international standards for data protection? How are legal privacy protections treated in ICANN’s policies? As an example, this discussion will pay specific attention to European data protection requirements in comparison with ICANN policy. What role do law enforcement and data protection officers play in developing ICANN policies that address the treatment of personal data.