[governance] Idea of Instant Messaging for IGCaucus

Tue Jul 30 05:39:56 EDT 2019

 Dear All, Dear Niels,
I also believe that email or mailing list is the main priority working space, as also mentioned in the IGC charter. No need to mention the important of email, but we are taking to add some other channels, like we use during Remote Participation in Meetings, some alternatives to true presence in the meetings physically.

However, the major question is what is the reasoning behind quick and deep penetration of Instant messaging, whereas the usage has increased dramatically in recent years. IM has become one of the most important means of communication for young people Today.
....Let me share few comments, young people expressed during discussion forum upon questioning to share Internet related issues facing by youth. Their reply and common perspective was that we (the panelists of the workshop) cannot understand the real issues, and they cannot share their problem because we do not use the communication platform which they use. They said that they use WeChat, WhatsApp, Line or Telegram but we use Email. Upon question about the reasoning of using IM, one of the student said that it is beauty of the IM enabling them compose/record their audio or video chat instantly and share or transmit it to any recipient in seconds and even to broadcast to a wider group but if someone ask them send video on email, we have issues... First of all they have to learn the means to record audio or video and to attach with some email account. And even if we send them any email, they occasionally opens their email inbox, so we should not expect any prompt response before the weekend or until we have to reset our passwords where we needs to verify or validate something....
The purpose of the suggestion of IM is to provide means to communicate with the teenagers, youngsters and kids (our new generation) using the appropriate communication channel which they uses in their normal day to day communication with their age-fellows, friends and teachers, otherwise almost we all are already using email and happy in our life. What I guess, the difference between communication mediums is creating communication gap between generations, or if I say 'it is creating digital divide to some extend', will not be wrong statement ... .

So, think about it and give your suggestion....
Best Regards
Imran Ahmed Shah

    On Monday, 29 July 2019, 16:46:05 GMT+5, Niels ten Oever <lists at digitaldissidents.org> wrote:  

 Dear all,

Thanks to all for the uptick in recent work. It is very much appreciated, and your work does not go unseen!

I strongly side with Johan on this, namely for keeping email as the only official and authoritative source for communications of the IGcaucus. 

My reasoning is as follows:

- e-mail is the best communications protocol that works in a federated manner. Thus we are not dependent on one company or provider. 

- e-mail has the best archiving options, and thus enable transparency and accountability, as well as future research into IG. 

- e-mail is the authoritative communications protocol in many Internet Governance body, and since the IGcaucus focuses on this field, it is to be expected that the members are very acquainted with email.

I could imagine that there would be an unofficial and informal channel on Signal (far better privacy practices than Telegram and Whatsapp)- but this channel would then not be used for official decision making, and its use would not be mandated or regulated by the charter.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Niels

On 7/29/19 1:21 PM, Imran Ahmed Shah (via governance Mailing List) wrote:
> Dear Johan,
> Thanks for contributing your comments, however, as I said in replying to Alex, that idea is to introduce another communication medium of communication not to close the mailing list in anyway.
> 
> Is there no tool in the current world, in which we can establish interlinking between the conversation of both type of mediums.....????
> 
> Best Regards
> 
> Imran
> 
> On Monday, 29 July 2019, 15:58:17 GMT+5, Johan Helsingius <julf at julf.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> On 29-07-19 08:43, Imran Ahmed Shah (via governance Mailing List) wrote:
> 
> 
>> IGC Mailing lists had been an openly viewable platform with subjective
>> discussion where everyone can reply in his/er own peace time. Very
>> positively served its purpose for last 15+ years. However, I am opening
>> a discussion thread for kind review and discussion among the caucus;
>> that how much it is useful and practical, if we could also (be able) to
>> have (some kind of) instant messaging platform for the IGC Caucus.
> 
> 
> Email is still the major tool for communication that needs to be
> recorded and accessible. I don't really see what additional benefits
> or functionality IM would bring (and note that IM and email has
> coexisted for at least 30 years without IM replacing email). The
> other problem is that all email systems are pretty much interoperable,
> while Im systems aren't, so with IM you would have to pick one
> of the many incompatible systems in use, and would cut out users
> of other systems.
> 
>     Julf
> 
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-- 
Niels ten Oever
Researcher and PhD Candidate
Datactive Research Group
University of Amsterdam

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