[bestbits] Also offering my candidacy for Best Bits steering 2014 and an open election platform

[Jeremy Malcolm]

I am also casting my hat into the ring again for the first elected steering committee of Best Bits.  Most of you will know me as one of the founders of Best Bits, former coordinator of the Internet Governance Caucus, author of a book on the Internet Governance Forum, steering committee member of the OECD CSISAC and as of this week, Senior Global Policy Analyst at Electronic Frontier Foundation.  Because I have just moved to the US I am running for the "US and Other" regional position and also for one of the three non-geographical positions.

I am also nominating Nnenna Nwakanma and Marianne Franklin for election, each for their respective regional positions (Africa and Europe) and for the non-geographical positions.  They are among the existing interim steering committee members who also include Andrew Puddephatt (who has just sent his nomination), Anja Kovacs, Deborah Brown, Joana Varon Ferraz and Valeria Betancourt - and actually I fully support the election of all of them too, but I'll leave it for others (or themselves) to send their nominations.

Additionally, I am announcing this open election platform in the form of a manifesto for Best Bits in 2014, for which any candidate can express their support.  I consulted with others on the interim steering committee in the drafting of this, but it is not a document of that committee or of Best Bits as a whole.  Individual members of the interim steering committee, and any others who are running for election, can choose to run under this open election platform by expressing their support for the manifesto.

A manifesto for Best Bits in 2014

Our vision for Best Bits continues to be that of an open platform for joint action and mutual support for members of civil society working on Internet public policy issues.  As Best Bits has matured it has helped forge strong bonds between its regular participants, who have developed areas of common ground.  In this context it is appropriate that Best Bits continues to evolve.  This manifesto describes the path forward for Best Bits that we will support, if elected as steering committee members in 2014.  It includes a commitment to advance - in an open and collaborative way - our shared commitment to the development and improvement of multi-stakeholder Internet governance processes, and also proposes a new set of guidelines to help us all work together productively and supportively.

While Best BIts began as a blank slate, there comes a point where a broad consensus around certain core principles can be identified.  Our perception is that a large majority of participants support the further development of multi-stakeholder models of Internet governance policy development in general.  There remains room for criticism and debate amongst our members about the appropriate definition and assessment of particular multi-stakeholder processes, which debate is welcome and encouraged.  There are also groups who have recently begun organising separately outside of the Best Bits network to advance a position that is more skeptical of multi-stakeholderism, on the basis that they perceive it as anti-democratic, and we welcome that also, whilst disagreeing with that position.

Despite this diversity in views, we perceive the need for solidarity on the core idea that it is only through multi-stakeholder processes that democratic ideals can be realised in global Internet governance.  Best Bits participants who hold this belief cover a broad spectrum of political views, including those who are strongly progressive and pro-development.  With your support, in 2014 we will work together to improve multi-stakeholder democracy in Internet governance, and will include as a priority of our 2014 meeting the development of a Best Bits standard of multi-stakeholder processes that represents this consensus.

Aligned with this commitment, we perceive the need to work internally on our own processes.  If elected, and with staffing support for which we will raise funds, we will push forward the work that was begun in 2013 to develop a robust set of working processes for Best Bits by consensus, through a dedicated working group.  As part of this, we aim to reduce the trend that some joint action has been driven off-list into the shadows of off-list discussions, due to the perception of some that they cannot freely express themselves on list without being exposed to harsh criticism.  Our processes should uphold the freedom of expression of participants whilst also ensuring that criticisms are contained and channeled so that they do not impede free discussion and collaboration.

We reaffirm our support of the continuation of Best Bits as an open, collaborative platform.  We also firmly believe that it has matured to the point where it can evolve into a more focussed and mutually supportive network in 2014, through which we can all work together towards the improvement of multi-stakeholder Internet governance processes that uphold and advance human rights and development.  If you also believe this, we ask for your vote in the 2014 steering committee election.

-- 
Jeremy Malcolm PhD LLB (Hons) B Com
Internet lawyer, ICT policy advocate, geek
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