[bestbits] Best Bits workshop proposal for the 2013 IGF]

Mon Mar 18 10:14:32 EDT 2013

Following up on the previous e-mail about future work for the best Bits group, I said I'd draft an outline proposal for Best Bits workshops at the IGF in Bali

At this stage it is a very simple outline so I'm suggesting submitting the following two proposals which reflect what we have already circulated.  Could you send back comments by the end of Tuesday if possible as we have to submit proposals by the end of the week

Workshop 1: Who runs the internet - how civil society can have a voice

Concise description of broader thematic area of interest (500 characters):

Debates about internet governance are coming to head in the next three years through the WSIS plus 10 process, and the CSTD working group on enhanced cooperation.  They have moved beyond the internet's functional resources into more controversial policy areas such as privacy, surveillance, censorship, net neutrality.  There are fierce disagreements between states about whether, or how, the internet should be governed.  This multi-stakeholder discussion will seek to identify the appropriate role for different stakeholders, governments, business and civil society and how effective multi-stakeholder working can be encouraged.

Concise description of specific issues or policy questions to be addressed (500 characters)

*             What is the specific and legitimate role of governments in internet policy making?

*             How civil society can participate effectively to internet policy debates while being both representative and transparent

*             How can companies with different and competing interests be represented in multi-stakeholder working

*             The role of normative, soft law mechanisms as opposed to hard law

*             Should we strengthen the IGF or replace it?

*             Is effective multi-stakeholder policy making possible where issues are fiercely contested?

Workshop 2: The internet we want - supporting democracy and human rights

Concise description of broader thematic area of interest (500 characters):

Building upon broad  principles  for  the  internet, including the OECD Internet Policymaking Principles, the Council of Europe Internet Governance  Declaration,  and  the  Internet  Rights  and  Principles  Coalition  Charter, there is a need to provide more detail and clarity on how human rights principles apply to the internet in practice.  In particular, there is a need to move past the high level normative thinking to consider the technical infrastructure and commercial environment needed for the internet functionally to promote democracy and human rights.

Concise description of specific issues or policy questions to be addressed (500 characters):

Drawing upon (and bringing together) existing initiatives such as the current MAG review of principles initiatives, the "Web we want", and the Internet Rights and Principles Coalition the workshop will seek to define the specific technical features, the necessary commercial environment and the legal and normative measures that shape policy and regulation online, which, taken together, create the type of internet that can support democracy and human rights.

Andrew Puddephatt, Director

Global Partners & Associates

Direct: +44 (0)20 7549 0336

Office: +44 (0)20 7549 0350

Mobile: +44 (0)771 339 9597

Email: andrew at global-partners.co.uk

Address: Development House, 56-64 Leonard St, London EC2A 4LT, UK

www.global-partners.co.uk

-----Original Message-----
From: bestbits-request at lists.igcaucus.org [mailto:bestbits-request at lists.igcaucus.org] On Behalf Of parminder
Sent: 14 March 2013 07:25
To: bestbits at lists.igcaucus.org
Subject: Fwd: [Fwd: [bestbits] Best Bits meeting plans for the 2013 IGF]

Thanks Jeremy and Andrew,

This looks like a very well done and purposeful agenda/ work plan . ..

parminder

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------

Subject: [bestbits] Best Bits meeting plans for the 2013 IGF

From:    "Jeremy Malcolm" <jeremy at ciroap.org<mailto:jeremy at ciroap.org>>

Date:    Thu, March 14, 2013 12:07 am

To:      bestbits at lists.igcaucus.org<mailto:bestbits at lists.igcaucus.org>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello all,

This is to follow on from Andrew's summary of the informal Best Bits meeting in Paris.  If you can't find it, it is available in the web archives of this list at http://lists.igcaucus.org/arc/bestbits.

(Thanks also to Deborah for forwarding the notice about the short deadline for IGF workshop proposals.)

On the basis of suggestions and offers made so far, here is what we are proposing for Best Bits in 2013.  It follows from the discussions in Paris, but is just a rough outline and it is still open for your comments:

   * A two-day pre-IGF Best Bits meeting on the weekend of 19-20 October

     in Bali, with an overall theme around a positive agenda for Internet

     governance, which (like last time) will split into two very

     practical agenda items, one of them substantive ("what we want"),

     and the other procedural ("how we can get it"):

       o Identifying common civil society strategies for advancing a

         human rights Internet.  This can incorporate related initiatives

         such as the IGF MAG's newly-established Internet principles

         working group, and the "Web We Want" initiative that a number of

         those from this list are involved with.

       o A positive agenda for the evolution of Internet governance

         arrangements.  This will tie in with the work of the CSTD

         Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation.  The output of this would

         be a common civil society position on an enhanced cooperation

         mechanism or process (perhaps IGF-based) that we could support.

   * Two public IGF workshops that would present each of the two agenda

    items above to a wider audience, and would include participation by

     representatives of the other stakeholder groups.  Global Partners is

     working on text for the workshop proposals, and will post them for

     comment when ready.

Meanwhile I am fundraising now to get some more travel funds for those who will need it, and indeed to broaden the funding base compared to last time.  The funds will also be used for a permanent website, including a rather sophisticated event calendar, which will begin as a rather less sophisticated event calendar, and grow features progressively.

If you have any comments on the above outline please share them.  Thanks!

--

*Dr Jeremy Malcolm

Senior Policy Officer

Consumers International | the global campaigning voice for consumers* Office for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East Lot 5-1 Wisma WIM, 7 Jalan Abang Haji Openg, TTDI, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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