[WSIS CS-Plenary] Internet Governance in Davos

[wolfgang at imv.au.dk]

Dear all, 

the World Economic Forum (WEF)in Davos discussed Internet Governance last week. The interesting point here is, that three different issues "Spam", "Technology Abuse (Cybercrime)" and "Internet Governance" has been packed into opne panel. The three questions for the Panel included as Question No. 3: "How the Internet should be governed on a global scale?" 

The composition of the Panel was also interesting: 
Stratton Sclavos, CEO from VeriSign, Kevoin Ryan, CEO from DoubleClick and Bradford Smith, Vice President of Microsoft, three "big fishes" from the Private Secor. Additionally, there was, obviously as an expert Prof. Stephen J. Kobrin from the Wharton School University of Pennsylvania, a business school, Gisele Yitamben  President Association pour le Soutien et l'Appui à la Femme Entrepreneur (ASAFE) (??). Governments has been represented by the Jordanian Minister for Information, Fawaz Hatim Zu'bi
Moderator was a journalist from Fortune Magazine. 

Unfortunately the statements are not published and there is no audio or video file available from the discussion.

Other WEF issues, related to the WSIS agenda, included Open Source, Future of Wireless and Financing Digital Opportunities. 

Two other interesting panel had the title "Strategic Alliances between Business and NGOs" and "Can Civil Society contribute to Peace?"

The WEF is one of the main partners of WSIS and will produce the annual WSIS benchmark report in cooperation with two other institutions.    


Here is the text from the announcement for the Internet Governance Panel: 


The Curse of Spam, Technology Abuse and Internet Governance

Date: Wednesday, 21 Jan 2004 
Time: 20.00 

Everyone with e-mail access has received spam or suffered the inconvenience, or worse, caused by computer viruses. With new technology inevitably comes those who find a way to use it for obnoxious and nefarious purposes -- thus Internet governance issues are coming increasingly to the fore. 1) What are the costs to business of this 'social nuisance'? 2) What new 'abuses' are on the horizon? 3) How should the Internet be governed on a global scale?