[governance] Agenda for IGF Nairobi - IGC proposals

[parminder]

Hi Jeremy

I think we should two separate threads for the next IGF's agenda, which 
hopefully will be taken up in the Feb MAG meeting, and for our inputs 
into the WG on IGF improvements. Both are very distinct issues and 
separately quite important . So excuse me to have this thread on 'agenda 
for IGF Nairobi'.

I am particularly eager to get this discussion going, because I feel 
that IGC should be doing much more on substantive issues, and its almost 
singular focus on process issues is what has kept it insulated from much 
of the civil society outside the IG realm, which compromises its 
legitimacy.

In middle of the hot discussions on composition of the WG on IGF 
improvements, Sala posted an email on the (globally) historic FCC 
decision on network neutrality. While there are some good points there, 
there has been a sellout on excluding mobile Internet from regulations 
disallowing pay-for-priority. (To read this in the context of my earielr 
emails pointing to how mobile Internet in India is already breaching NN 
boundaries.)

This FC decision has the potential of splitting up the Internet into the 
open fixed line variety and corporate content dominated mobile Internet. 
Why should there be two kinds of Internet? Why do freedoms and rights 
count on one kind and are not so important on the mobile Internet? What 
does this mean for developing countries where mobile is slated to become 
the by far the dominant platform for Internet?

I also consider it very significant that it is perhaps the first time 
ever in any substantial policy matter of such huge consequence that the 
policy framework was largely written up as a result of negotiations 
between two largest corporate players in the area - google and verizon - 
and then the government rubber stamped it. If this the new global 
governance model we are moving towards? I keep getting this picture in 
my mind of our health policy frameworks soon being written by drug 
companies and health insurance companies, and maybe the large private 
hospital chains, if they are big enough, before plaint governments 
rubber stamp it. That is exactly what happened in the present instance 
vis a vis the new communication infrastructure of the Internet that came 
with such egalitarian promises.

Anyway back to the topic,

The next IGF just must take up 'Network Neutrality' or in fact ' Mobile 
Network Neutrality' as its key plenary theme. Otherwise IGF and the real 
world IG would be two very different worlds.

It should also continue with the plenary topic - 'development agenda for IG'

And I propose a third topic

'Cross border Issues and implications of IG'

CoE is discussing it, no reason why IGF should not.

Parminder










Jeremy Malcolm wrote:
> I would like us to move towards preparing a submission about the
> programme of the 2011 IGF meeting.  Simultaneously, we can discuss IGF
> improvements, which if minor could go into that submission, but
> otherwise can be input for our new CSTD working group on the IGF.
>
> This is an exercise that we have, of course, gone through before.  So it
> is useful for us to look at some previous submissions on the programme
> of the IGF and on improvements, and see what we can simply rewrite and
> reuse.  Here are relevant links:
>
> PROGRAMME:
>
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/8 (Hyderabad)
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/5 (Sharm)
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/26 (Sharm)
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/32 (Sharm)
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/34 (Vilnius)
>
> IMPROVEMENTS:
>
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/6 (funding, deeper discussion, WGs)
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/7 (format improvements, IGF as town-hall)
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/9 (MAG improvements)
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/30 (MAG, funding, intersessional work)
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/33 (MAG, outputs, intersessional work)
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/41 (MAG improvements, links from IGF)
> http://www.igcaucus.org/node/45 (outputs, difficult issues, virtual IGF)
>
> I would suggest that people go through these and pick out the highlights
> that they would like to reiterate... as well, of course, as contributing
> any new points in light of the changed landscape since last November.
>
>   

-- 
PK

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