<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Dear all, </span><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Taking into account the debate here about using a civil society only list for strategic discussions, I'm reporting back from some discussions among the interim steering committee* on different options for moving forward. Here are the some options we came up with:</div>
<div><ol style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><li style="margin-left:15px">Everything on the public list (i.e. status quo)</li><li style="margin-left:15px">Using the open list as the default, and have the option of moving strategic conversations to the private list</li>
<li style="margin-left:15px">Using the open list as the default, and starting issue-specific lists for strategic discussions among civil society. This would follow the model of the [EC] list that was used to prepare Best Bits' submission to WGEC (welcoming suggestions to improve that model). Drafting and strategic discussions took place on the closed list and were reported back to the main list. </li>
</ol><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Most of us on steering prefer option 3, but we could not come to an agreement on whether or not the archives of emails on civil society list should be public or only available to the members of the list. The benefits of having public archives would be transparency and avoiding the exclusion of anyone who wanted to join the list but was not aware of it. The drawback would be that public archives would diminish the value of the list as a private space for civil society to strategize.</div>
<div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">What we propose is to try out the subject-specific list option with a new list for the Brazil meeting (i.e. <a href="mailto:summit@lists.bestbits.net" target="_blank">summit@lists.bestbits.net</a>) and invite anyone who is interested in participating and who self-identifies as civil society to join. Trying to use the broadest definition of civil society, we would suggest that those whose primary affiliation is with a government, an intergovernmental organization, or corporation not join. Since this is of course an imperfect definition, we propose to leave it open to all to subscribe and have an open discussion around any issues regarding membership that may arise.</div>
<div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">In particular we are interested in: </div><div><ul><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;margin-left:15px">
What people think about the 3 options</li><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;margin-left:15px">Public v. private archives for the subject-specific list option</li><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;margin-left:15px">
The proposal to move forward with <a href="mailto:summit@lists.bestbits.net" target="_blank">summit@lists.bestbits.net</a></li><li style="margin-left:15px"><font face="arial, sans-serif">If you think that there may be another workable model we missed (please suggest it!)</font><br>
</li></ul><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Please send your feedback, ideas, concerns by the end of the week if possible either on this thread or to <a href="mailto:steering@lists.bestbits.net" target="_blank">steering@lists.bestbits.net</a>. </div>
<div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">We hope this reflects the different points of view that have been expressed the regarding the need for a civil society only space to strategize and the need to be inclusive, transparent, and accountable . Looking forward to a constructive discussion and to collaborating around the challenges ahead.</div>
</div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Kind regards, </div></div><div>Deborah</div><div><br></div><div>*Note: the following individuals are members of the interim steering committee <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Andrew Puddephatt (Global Partners), Anja Kovacs (Internet and Democracy Project), Deborah Brown (Access), Jeremy Malcolm (Consumers International), Joana Varon Ferraz (FGV/CTS), Marianne Franklin (individual/IRP coalition), Nnenna (World Wide Web Foundation) and Valeria Betancourt (APC).<br>
</span>-- </div><div dir="ltr"><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="garamond, serif">Deborah Brown</font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<font face="garamond, serif">Senior Policy Analyst</font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="garamond, serif">Access | <a href="http://accessnow.org" target="_blank">accessnow.org</a></font></div>
<div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="garamond, serif"><a href="http://rightscon.org" target="_blank">rightscon.org</a></font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<font face="garamond, serif"><br></font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="garamond, serif">@deblebrown</font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<font face="garamond, serif">PGP 0x5EB4727D</font></div></div>
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