[WSIS CS-Plenary] Issues & themes for IGF - 4 days left

[Robert Guerra]

As promised, here is a summary of the issues and themes raised on the IG
mailing list as of March 27, 2006.

I will try to post the documents submitted on-line later this evening.


Detailed submissions have been received on the following topics:
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(Unless instructed otherwise, I will forward the submission on behalf of
the original sender on 31st)

(in no particular order)


- Policy issues for affordable Internet access
- Internet content filtering and free expression
- E-voting technologies
- Enhanced cooperation for coordination and management of critical
Internet resources.
- Defining and fostering Open Educational Ressources (OER) on line,
around issues of interoperability, access, public infrastructure, in the
context of Internet and digital learning technologies
- Defining and fostering the ‘public-ness’ of the Internet – issues of
public interest, public domain, public infrastructure and public good in
the context of the Internet.
- User centric digital identity


The following topics have been raised and/or discussed on the IG list
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(in no particular order)


- IP address allocation

- Spam
+ technical methods
+ human rights implications of filtering as censorship: unintended
consequences of filtering. " When one person's free speech is someone
else's blasphemy"

- Network Neutrality

- Capacity-building and meaningful participation in policy development

Development agenda
+ access and affordability
+ Asserting the public-ness and the egalitarian character of the
Internet as a guiding principle for IG

Note: Participants from developing south were very vocal on the issue of
development. They see it as a key thematic area.

- INTERNATIONALIZATION OF THE INTERNET
+ multilingualism
+ International Domain Names (IDN) -  multilingual roots

- Network neutrality

- Diversification of the DN space

- Human Rights as a cross-cutting issue (1,2 and 3 generation rights)
  (civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights)

+ Freedom of expression
+ data protection and privacy rights

- Internet content filtering and free expression


- Digital  identity

- Enhanced Cooperation


- Cybercrime

+ Law enforcement co-operation.
+ Overview & comparison of existing instruments: CoE Convention, etc
+ International legal assistance - the good, the bad, and the ugly..
+ Human Rights implications


The following issues were identified as "top" issues during the
IGF consultation , 16-17 Feb
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   1. Spam
   2. Multilingualism
   3. Cybercrime
   4. Cybersecurity
   5. Privacy and Data Protection
   6. Freedom of Expression and Human Rights
   7. International Interconnection Costs
   8. Bridging the Digital Divide: Access and Policies
   9. Bridging the Digital Divide: Financing
  10. Rules for e-commerce, e-business and consumer protection