There was a real world demonstration of the difficulties and dangers of network security at the session on security this afternoon. Someone, hopefully from the IGF secretariat, had set up a wifi network called "free_wifi_net" accessible in the conference plenary hall. The moderator noted in his introductory remarks that if you connected to this network,…
Category: United Nations
My talk on e-democracy and the IGF
I prepared a statement for the panel on "Internet Governance for Participation," which I just finished speaking at. Time was running short, so I gave the abridged version of this session. Here’s the complete presentation, which is entitled “Top-down, Middle Layer and Bottom-up e-Democracy”…
IGP06 : Liveblogging Session on Openness
During the morning of Day Two of the first Internet Governance Forum, there was a multi-stakeholder dialogue on issues of “opennness.” The session spent the bulk of time talking about freedom of expression issues and particularly the responsibility of companies in using their influence to pressure governments to be more open. Then the moderator moved…
Internet Governance Forum06: Day 1 Wrap-up
So the first day of the first Internet Governance Forum is over, thank goodness. I clearly look like hell, cause all my old friends from the WSIS walk up to me and say, “Hi Rik, good to see you! Man, you look like hell.” Here are some of my highlights that I can summon from…
Survey of recent e-consultations
As I prepare my remarks for the Internet Governance Forum next week, I’m interested in what can be learned from recent ICT-enabled consultations that have taken place around different political processes. Here are a few notable ones: Minnesota just finished an interesting multi-modal e-debate among all six candidates for governor A joint US/Canadian consultation took…
Internet Governance Forum, uh, Forums
Rushing rushing rushing to put together the materials I’m going to need for my presentations at the Internet Governance Forum next week in Athens. The main focus of my talks will be on creating new modalities for broadbased participation in internet policy through various communications and information technologies. What is interesting is that there are…
What can the UN learn from virtual worlds?
There’s a very interesting discussion on the how to use the internet to facilitate broader consultations among internet users as part of the UN-initiated Internet Governance Forum’s deliberations. Apparently whatever platform chosen has to meet several conditions: Has to be open source – so people can trust the interface as accurately posting their views and…
I’m standing up against poverty – are you?
Today I’m doing my part to stand against poverty. Head over here for more info on how you can participate today and tomorrow.
Off to Athens for Internet Governance Forum!
It looks like I will be going to Athens, Greece for the inaugural meeting of the Internet Governance Forum, from October 30 to November 2! The IGF is a UN-organized body devoted to supporting "multi-stakeholder policy dialogue" on the Internet and its governance and regulatory policies. I believe that I am being invited to speak…
Thoughts on strategic uses of virtual environments for the UN
Recently I was contacted by the programme officer of a UN agency for advice on how they could best use the virtual world of Second Life to promote their organization’s goals. As an activist with more than ten years of experience with various international campaigns and coalitions at the United Nations, and an active Second…