[governance] Aug. 15 deadline for inputs on IGF 2009 agenda

[Carlton Samuels]

Dear Anja:
I will offer an opinion that might not be popular but the logic of which I'm
yet to see successfully contradicted. It concerns the use of the word
"rights" in the context of a service, which is the practical meaning of the
word "internet" to ordinary people.

I think we can find common cause with respect to [a set of] Internet
principles.  But when the term "rights" is juxtaposed and invoked, it takes
on an aura of justiciability. By extension, a claim for infringement of or
disenfranchisement from that right would attract a motion for adjudication;
some agent/agency must enforce these rights.  The difficulty of course is
the need to define the parties and their connected responsibilitites, in
context.  Typically, the tort law comes into play here.

But this is not the sense you get when we talk of Internet rights.  A useful
corollary is the "right" to education that is so much a part of the
development agenda.  And, unfortunately, therein lies the rub.

Carlton Samuels

On Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 7:06 AM, Anja Kovacs <anja at cis-india.org> wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> As Ginger noted, tomorrow is the last day for comments on the Draft
> Programme Paper. What continues to strike me as I read this paper is the
> complete absence of attention for Internet rights and principles - in
> fact the word 'rights' is not mentioned even once - despite Internet
> rights and principles being raised as a theme or a topic for a main
> session repeatedly by a range of players (including the IGC, the IRP DC
> and the Gender DC) during and in the run-up to May's Open Consultations.
> Although I realise that there is little chance of it being included as a
> main session at this point, I think it is important for us to at least
> comment on this glaring absence.  Would it be possible for the IGC to
> express, by tomorrow, its disappointment in this regard? (we could use
> some of the wording of the April submission)
>
> For those of you with whom I have had the pleasure to interact before, I
> also would like to share that I have now joined the Centre for Internet
> and Society, Bangalore.
>
> I look forward to continuing to engage with you all on Internet
> Governance issues.
>
> Anja
>
>
> Dr. Anja Kovacs
> Fellow
> Centre for Internet and Society
> T: +91 80 4092 6283
> www.cis-india.org
>
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