[governance] E-G8 second day reporting

Thu May 26 04:02:19 EDT 2011

e-G8 day two
Day two was more broken up than day one, so I¹ll go quickly through the
various sessions, to concentrate on the summary of recommendations that took
place in the end (You can follow the details on line).  Please note that the
whole thing was a relatively futile exercise, given the fact that most of
the G8 documents are readied months in advance. However, there will be a
delegation of 5 members from the e-G8 who are supposed to bring back the
results/recommendations to the heads of states in Deauville. The delegation
is composed of Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Eric Schmidt (Google), Maurice
Lévy (Publicis), Yuri Milner (Digital Sky Technologies), Stéphane Richard
(Orange) and Hiroshi Mikitani (Rakuten)a very representative selection of
powerful male billionaires.

1-conversation with Neelie Kroes (European Digital Agenda Commissioner)
some issues require rules, that can be applied by governments when the
private sector doesn¹t act. These rules should be global. The G8 should take
them seriously, make decisions and review them.  It is an urgent decision

2- plenary 5 : fostering innovation
Good presentation of the stakes by Lessig, but the rest of the discussion
less interesting and no solutions offered.  Lack of small companies made it
difficult to hear voice of incumbents

3- plenary 6 : digital transformation (of traditional business)
no doubt among the participants that welfare packages and worker protection
are gone and not worth defending. Public policy will have to adapt to such
³painful² social perspectives and move towards jobs for young people based
on mobility and no protection. Big companies are important because they
influence small businesses that are part of their supply chain (75% of
growth on internet is brought by old business). E-learning is a new mode for
self-training and self-organizing. Public service obligations are an
obsolete form of regulation and public service corporations should take the
³public service test²  micro-segmentation is the way to go: ³serve the
segment to one²; ³businesses have to become democracies too²

4- workshop 1 (theme 3): electronic liberty (workshop in presence of Nadine
Wahab, Egyptian activist)
interesting comments on Google¹s role in Egypt (meant to keep internet open
for business, not to help the revolution). Importance of freedom of
expression announced as key for business. Social media as part of toolbox
for electoral campaigns. For Nadine Wahab, the organization of civil society
came first, the social networks came second in the Egyptian movement. People
will always choose pacific solutions and peace to terrorism. Transparency as
best tool for fighting censorship (Perry Barlow from the floor). Democratic
countries have to avoid double-standards. Role of companies (twitter) :
defend the user¹s rights to defend himself. G8 should make internet access a
human right 

5-wokshop 2 (theme 2): Disinter media (the press): only in the presence of
top newspapers with specialized content to sell. Rather happy about
themselves, though they made the initial mistake of offering their content
online for free. Backtracking on this by having single cost of content, with
multiple outlets. Repurposing of stories for a global audience.  ³content
defines us, not the means of distribuiton² Sulzberger NYT)

6-workshop 3 (theme 3): Data dilemma (privacy):
several definitions of privacy, but consensus on the users¹ right to control
information about themselves. Confrontation of EU and US models: the
European one not enough enforced and therefore not respected, the US one
enforced by FTC and respected

7-Closing conversation with Mark Zuckerberg: social design will be leading
aspect of internet future (example of gaming), being ³grounded on reality²;
doesn¹t believe in network effects; the Arab revolution is ³not a Facebook
thing, it is an internet thing² and what is necessary is organized people.

8-Closing plenary: there were several bullet points that recapped each
plenary and workshop (to be found online). Among the dominant ones:
            *private sector is faster than governments
            *job creation is done by small corporations
            *governments should provide access but not regulate content and
focus on job creation

**²governance needs to link business, civil society and government² WAS
SCRATCHED  AS NOBODY UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT MEANS !! AND I HAD TO INTERVENE
LATER TO ASK FOR IT TO BE MAINTAINED, IN A SPIRIT OF MULTISTAKEHOLDERISM
THAT CHARACTERIZES INTERNET GOVERNANCE ISSUES IN ALL THE OTHER FORA OF THE
PLANET

            *expression is not synonymous with property (might be scratched
in the end)
            *²governments must help manage social dislocations that will
make the workplace more flexible but also more precarious² (might be
scratched)
            *G8 should discuss harmonisation of rules between countries for
enterntainment (IP rights)
            *mobile smart phones are dominated by 2 or 3 gatekeepers and
this should require ³strong antitrust oversight²
            *publishing governement data on line is a great start but is
badly done. 
            *eliminate software patents (definitely on the way of being
scratched) came out of ³disrupters workshop²
            *privacy legislation may restrict free speech. It needs care

additional recommendations by  the panel:
            -big companies are good role models
            -rapid response in case of breakdowns
            -promote investment not regulation
            -rules of society should apply to internet
            -enable students with digital skills
            -more organized participation from NGOs

General feeling: some issues like security, IP rights are emerging but
nobody seems to have a solution; nothing about cloud computing; nothing
about risks in case of breakdown; nothing about public goods and open source
or open data general consensus for e-G8 to be made permanent (one voice
saying every over year)

                                    Divina Frau-Meigs, Paris   May 25th

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