[WSIS CS-Plenary] Malta presentation very moving: Theme going forward

[lissjeffrey at sympatico.ca]

Hi all:

The Malta presentation was very strong,
Theme: The future is a moving target.

The best one I have seen yet.
(Canada's was embarassing.)

Only issue I had was it makes me so nervous when someone says "we must worry 
about childern and the Internet". True BUT

It is so clear that going forward, CS members must spend more time reaching 
out to those who are  genuinely alarmed by the impact of the Internet on 
children. This is very difficult terrain, as it is so easy to manipulate 
this theme as a way to deny free expression. (I spoken since 1999 on the 
theme "There is no childhood in cyberspace")

This dialogue is a place where Canada can contribute, as our Charter does 
not consider free speech to be  unfettered, yet our courts and acceptable 
use practices try (not always successfully, of course) to balance free 
expression and other rights and freedoms in a free and democratic society. 
(as our Charter has this contentious point)

Yup it is contentious. I am not trying to start an argument, sorry if that 
is how this sounds, but as we go forward I am urging all of us in CS in all 
the families and caucuses to think about this. And also please look at the 
archive on the Malta presentation. It was really moving.
It will be here:
http://www.itu.int/wsis/tunis/webcast/archives/index.html

Liss Jeffrey, PhD
Witness 2 Wsis 2 team
http://wsis.ecommons.ca

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