[APCPress] APCNews - November 2007 - No 80

Thu Nov 22 17:09:51 GMT 2007

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                    SPECIAL EDITION
SECOND INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM (IGF)
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      *APCNews, the monthly newsletter of the
Association for Progressive Communications (APC)*
               - November 2007 No. 80 -
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-- OPENING DAY --
-- ACCESS & OPENNESS --
-- PARTICIPATION --
-- CONTENT REGULATION --
-- SNAPSHOTS --
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APC’s overriding objective at this year’s Internet Governance Forum
(IGF), held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 12 to 15 November, was to
promote internet for development. Development of this nature is
ultimately about digital inclusion: access, internet governance,
financing, human rights, participation in public policy processes,
gender equality, ICTs and sustainable development. APC and its many
member groups were on the ground in Rio for the second IGF to share
their tried-and-tested solutions. They could be found on different panel
sessions and workshops, including the opening ceremony where APC
executive director Anriette Esterhuysen’s speech garnered some positive
attention for its focus on key issues.

APC staff and members advocated for universal and affordable internet
access; the reform of international governance mechanisms; the
management of critical internet resources; defining internet rights
through the IGF to initiate measures to promote capacity building in
developing countries.

The IGF is a five year process that began in Athens, Greece, in 2006.
The 2008 meeting will take place in India and, Egypt has offered to host
the 2009 IGF meeting. The governments of Lithuania and Azerbaijan have
made bids for the 2010 meeting.

This special edition of APCNews offers a variety of views and diverse
approaches thanks to the collaborative efforts of APC members, partners
and staff. New IGF-related content will continue to be posted to
APC.org, genderIT.org, the APC Blog and on the Latin American ICT policy
monitor in the coming days.

For APC content in Spanish:
http://tinyurl.com/ytkxjx

For APC content in French:
http://tinyurl.com/ytra9p

For more information about the IGF, visit the official website at:
www.intgovforum.org.
Find webcasts at: www.igfbrazil2007.br/videos.htm

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-- OPENING DAY --

OPENING SPEECH: Anriette Esterhuysen's speech at the opening session of
the second Internet Governance Forum (IGF) touches on key issues

APC's executive director, Anriette Esterhuysen's well-received speech at
the opening session of the second Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Rio
de Janeiro on Monday 12 November 2007 urged the IGF to prioritise
access. Touching on critical issues such as security, openness,
standards and diversity, she emphasised the potential of the internet to
contribute to all aspects of human development. - APCNews
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=5310986

IGF TOPICS: Internet governance, public good governance
By Coura Fall

Public good, freedom of expression, removal of barriers, cultural
diversity, digital citizenship, local level, social innovation, digital
and social inclusion, the public stake in ICT use, community,
multilingualism, spam, security, energy loss in internet use,
transparent dialogue and participation by all stakeholders, common
rules, elimination of poverty and under-development – these are the
words that continually recurred during the opening session of the
Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. - APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5311988

HUMAN RIGHTS: Internet as a means of alternative to create peace,
security and human rights
By Ahmed Swapan Mahmud

The inaugural ceremony of United Nations second Internet Governance
Forum (IGF) has been held on Monday November 12 2007 in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil. Governments, business entities, civil society members from
around the world were present in the inaugural meeting of the forum. The
forum will continue until the 15th of November 2007 following a number
of sessions and workshops on the issues around the internet. - APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5308298

IGF IN BANGLA: The internet governance from a Bangladeshi perspective

Reza Salim from the Bangladesh Friendship Education Society (BFES), an
APC-member organisation, has just alerted the APC team to the
publication of this article he wrote for the most popular daily
newspaper in Bangladesh, The Prothom Alo. It provides updates about the
Internet Governance Forum, APC's role in this forum and information
about the APC council meeting that preceded the IGF. - The Prothom Alo
http://www.prothom-alo.com/mcat.news.details.php?nid=NjgyOTk=&mid=MTE=
[In Bangla]

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-- ACCESS & OPENNESS --

DEBATE OVER OPENNESS: Controlling the internet

One of the themes discussed at the second Internet Governance Forum
relates to something called critical internet resources. Critical what?
That’s what many people tried to figure out in Rio de Janeiro on
November 14, starting with the speakers themselves. – APCNews
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=5316554

PRESS RELEASE: Convergence of views on access at international internet
forum

APC recognises that access is the single most important element in any
attempt to put in place a governance of the internet. A broad range of
suggestions for making access to the internet a reality for the five
billion unconnected people were put forward by governments, industry and
non-profits currently taking part in the second Internet Governance
Forum (IGF) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There seems to be a high degree
of convergence of views on how to improve access. - APC
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=5311926

AFFORDABLE INTERNET: Access workshop considered how to mitigate costs
and resolve connectivity challenges
By Kelly Loverock

On Monday 12 November, participants in the “Access: the local challenge”
workshop of the IGF, addressed access issues and considered what can be
done locally to mitigate costs and connectivity challenges. – APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5316658

RURAL ACCESS: Access and connectivity for remote rural panel: Basic
infrastructure needed
By Andrew Garton

Andrew Garton's observations on the "Access and connectivity for remote
rural" panel, held on Tuesday 13 November in Rio de Janeiro, as part of
this year's Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Andrew is the director of
APC.au, a digital media arts company based on the Internet Rights
Charter of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). - APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5315851

REGULATING FOR ACCESS: IGF workshop focuses on the role of regulatory
frameworks in improving access to internet
By Natalie Brown

Recommendations developed by workshop participants focused on four main
themes; enhancing the development of and access to infrastructure;
enabling policies and financing frameworks; offering technological
choice, responding to demand and addressing the challenge/opportunities
of convergence; and advancing the development dimensions of ICT
regulation. - APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5315437

OPEN STANDARDS: Open standards session at IGF touches on key issues
By Natalie Brown

An open informal meeting held by the steering committee of the Dynamic
Coalition on Open Standards (DCOS) at the IGF this week in Rio de
Janeiro sparked a lively discussion on the impact of proprietary
standards on citizens around the world. - APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5316110

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-- PARTICIPATION --

NEW GOVERNANCE MODEL: Issue of online free expression overshadowed by
debate about US control over Internet

The Council of Europe and the Association for Progressive Communications
today proposed a new model inspired by the Aarhus Convention, signed in
1998 in Denmark, which brings together access to information, public
participation in decision-making and environmental rights. This new
proposal, still in a draft form, would treat the Internet as a public
service and would try to ensure that citizens participate in its
regulation. – Reporters Without Borders
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=24353

PRESS RELEASE: Inspired by Aarhus Convention, Council of Europe and APC
propose a code for public participation in internet regulation

Intergovernmental and civil society organisations have drafted a
proposal, modelled after the Aarhus Convention of 1998, that would
regard the internet as a public service. Aarhus, a unique international
environmental agreement, grants the public rights and demands government
accountability. The proposed code on internet regulation, drawn up
during this year’s Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Rio de Janeiro,
would be similarly designed to accommodate participation, encourage
greater transparency and improve access to information. - APCNews
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=5310569

CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION: Issue of online free expression
overshadowed by debate about US control over internet

Reporters Without Borders has picked up an APC press release, reporting:
"The Council of Europe and the Association for Progressive
Communications (APC) today proposed a new model inspired by the Aarhus
Convention, signed in 1998 in Denmark, which brings together access to
information, public participation in decision-making and environmental
rights". - RSF
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=24353

CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION: Panel on public participation in internet
governance considers applicability of Aarhus Convention
By Kelly Loverock

In a panel entitled “Public participation in internet governance,
emerging issues, and good practices”, panellists Anriette Esterhuysen,
executive director of the Association for Progressive Communications
(APC) and Pavel P Antonov, board member of BlueLink, emphasised the
potential for ICTs to inform, involve and empower people. - APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5313023

PARTNERING AT THE IGF: (Not just) talking about multistakeholder
partnerships

"On Tuesday afternoon, I attended one of the best meetings at the IGF
2007, called Moving Beyond the Talk: Partnerships in Practice. I was
extremely interested in hearing the panel talk about their experience in
bringing together different stakeholders to work together with a common
target. Anriette Esterhuysen (Exec. Director, Association for
Progressive Communications, APC) talked about the development of the
CATIA project, which discovered the importance of using a
multi-partnership strategy to enhance the impact of the project". -
Andrea Molinari’s blog
http://andreamolinari.livejournal.com/

ICT FOR DEVELOPMENT: IGF panel discussion sheds light on Partnership on
Measuring ICT for Development
By Natalie Brown

Eduardo Nuñez, Director of the Brazilian Institute of Statistics, Martin
Hilbert, Coordinator of the Information Society Programme of UN-ECLAC,
and Mansour Farah, Team Leader of the ICT Division of UN-ESCWA, all made
presentations at the IGF Panel Discussion on the Partnership on
Measuring ICT for Development. The presentations focused on describing
the partnership and its current activities. - APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5315686
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-- CONTENT REGULATION --

HARMFUL CONTENT: To act now or not act: Clash of views on content
regulation at internet forum

Today I sat in a workshop in Rio de Janeiro. A workshop in Rio de
Janeiro? A capoeira, volleyball or football workshop, you must be
thinking. Even though I’m just 25 metres away from a beautiful beach,
imagine, I sat in a room in a hotel, full of people with laptops… on
their laps. Such is life in the second Internet Governance Forum. And
let me tell you that it’s worth it. One of the 97 workshops unfolding
here in Rio was called “Content regulation and the duty of states to
protect fundamental rights”, brought to you by the APC’s women’s
programme, the APC WNSP for all of you acronym-lovers. - GenderIT.org
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=f&l=e

HARMFUL CONTENT : Radio Internacional Feminista-Fire talks to Chat
Garcia about harmful content online

Radio Internacional Feminista-Fire has posted interviews with APC and
member staff conducted at the IGF in Rio de Janeiro. RFF talks to Chat
Garcia about harmful content in the internet, and to Anriette
Esterhuysen about the IGF and civil society. - Fire
To listen to the interviews visit: http://www.fire.or.cr/

ILLEGAL CONTENT: Perspectives from Mexico, India in IGF Best Practice
Forum on CyberCrime Convention
By Natalie Brown

During the Best Practice Forum on the Cybercrime Convention, Jean
Charles de Cordes of the Council of Europe discussed the structure and
content of the convention, as well as issues such as standards setting
and monitoring compliance, while Cristos Velasco, Mexican representative
of the North American Consumer Project on Electronic Commerce (NACPEC),
and Pavan Duggal from Cyberlaw India discussed the cybercrime
legislation situation in their respective countries. - APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5315898

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-- SNAPSHOTS --

Who was at the IGF II? We have made short profiles of some of the
attendees at the second Forum on Internet Governance. Here is an
overview, spanning the world, from Australia to Bangladesh, passing
through Bulgaria and Senegal.

 From APC.au, Australia: Andrew Garton

Andrew Garton is the director of APC.au, a digital media arts company
based on the Association for Progressive Communications Internet Rights
Charter. Andrew came to this forum with the intention of sharing his
experiences and to learn from others. His primary interest is internet
rights. – APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5312932

 From BLUELINK, Bulgaria: Milena Bukova

Milena Bukova is the executive director of Bluelink, a virtual network
offering a broad variety of internet based services for those who are
interested in issues related to environment, natural resources, and
sustainable development in Bulgaria and all over the world. Its mission
is to create a free information forum for democracy, civil society and
sustainable development. – APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5330033

 From the FRIENDSHIP EDUCATION SOCIETY, Bangladesh: Reza Salim

Reza Salim is the director of APC-member organisation, the Bangladesh
Friendship Education Society. Reza believes it is crucial to empower
rural communities, for instance by helping them to access information
and communications technologies (ICTs). – APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5311311

 From APC WNSP, Czech Republic: Katerina FIALOVA

Katerina Fialova is a coordinator with the APC. She's coordinating the
gender and ICT policy portal called GenderIT.org. This means that she is
working on regulation and policy there where gender and technology
intersect. What that really means? It is like looking at how cellphones
for instance, can best be used to inform women in rural areas. – APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5330130

 From the FOUNDATION FOR MEDIA ALTERNATIVES, Philippines: Al Alegre

Al Alegre is the executive director of the Foundation of Media
Alternatives, an APC member based in the Philippines. Al’s priorities
for the second Internet Governance Forum are to promote the right to
communicate, freedom of expression and access to knowledge. – APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5311317

 From BLUELINK, Bulgaria: Pavel Antonov

Pavel Antonov is a board member of Bluelink, a virtual network offering
a broad variety of internet-based services for those interested
environmental, natural resources, and sustainable development issues in
Bulgaria and worldwide. Pavel came to the IGF primarily to meet people
with shared interests and to learn more about internet governance
issues. – APC Blog
  http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5312917

 From APC, Senegal: COURA FALL

"Secure, affordable access to the internet for all may no longer be just
a dream! In any event, that was my dream today!" expresses Coura Fall,
just after the opening ceremony of the second Internet Governance Forum
in Rio. She looked motivated by many of the speakers on November 12,
even though she acknowledges that her dream translates into work, work
and more work. when it comes to her continent: Africa. – APC Blog
http://blog.apc.org/en/index.shtml?x=5330165

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APCNews, in English, APCNouvelles, in French and APCNoticias, in
Spanish, are distributed monthly by APC -- a worldwide network
supporting the use of internet and ICTs for social justice and
sustainable development since 1990.

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Association for Progressive Communications (APC), 2007