CSISAC

OECD Acknowledges Privacy Award to Michael Kirby

2010-07-01T20:07:35Z

The June 2010 OECD Civil Society Newsletter notes that former Australian Justice Michael Kirby received the 2010 Champion of Freedom Award from the Electronic Privacy Information Centre (EPIC). Kirby was recognised for his leading role in the development of the 1980 OECD Privacy Guidelines. This year the OECD is marking the 30th anniversary of the Guidelines with a series of events.

New Report from the OECD on Internet Intermediaries

2010-07-01T19:55:09Z

Now available from the OECD is the report "The Economic a and Social Role of Internet Intermediaries." The report builds on the OECD Declaration for the Future of the Internet Economy. The goal of the report is to "develop a common definition and understanding of what Internet intermediaries are, of their economic function and economic models, of recent market development, and to discuss the economic and social uses that these actors satisfy." CSISAC has provided extensive comments on this report and on the concept of "best practices".

OECD Meetings in June: Working party on Communications Infrastructure and Services Policy, Internet Intermediaries Workshop, and Working party on the Information Economy. June 14-18

2010-07-01T19:53:23Z

Two of the Information, Communications, and Computer Policy committees of the OECD held meetings during the week of June 14-18, the Communications Infrastructure and Services Policy Working Party (WPCISP) and the Working Party on the Internet Economy (WPIE). There was also an all day workshop on the Role of Internet Intermediaries, to discuss the role that Internet intermediaries play in achieving the policy goals identified at the Seoul OECD Ministerial Conference in 2008. CSISAC participated in all three events, and will report on the pubic aspects of these events. At the WPCISP, CSISAC Liaison Stephanie Perrin and Public Knowledge's John Bergmayer are attending. At the Internet Intermediaries Workshop, Gwen Hinz of Electronic Frontier Foundation, Anna Fielder of Privacy International, Marzena Lipman of Consumer Focus and Eric Goldman of the University of Santa Clara presented civil society perspectives on various panels. Milton Mueller of Syracuse and Delft Universities and David Banisar of Article 19 also participated. CSISAC has provided comments on a detailed paper on the Role of Internet Intermediaries, which has yet to be publicly released. Civil society's concerns are focused on the delegation of social policies and enforcement to third party actors without respect for due process, accountability, transparency, and the human rights of Internet users. CSISAC is preparing a detailed paper on the issues, and would be pleased to welcome civil society contributions to this effort. Please contact liaison@csisac.org if you have an interest in the topic. Several papers from the working party on Communications Infrastructure and Services Policy are expected to be derestricted in September, and CSISAC continues to provide input on this work. Centred on aspects of competition and integration, the impact of bundling of internet services, and the issues surrounding mobile roaming, these papers impact various aspects of the core CSISAC policy focus areas:

Privacy and the non-transparent use of customer information
Consumer protection, particularly in matters of service costs and the lack of transparency in service costs, including taxes, which in turn makes free choice of service alternatives virtually impossible
Security and autonomy with respect to information, and intellectual property

On June 17-18, the Working Party on the Internet Economy discussed, among other issues, the focus on information and communications technologies to foster the "green" agenda. Once again, this focus is of great interest to civil society members across the spectrum of concern. Whilst members welcome ICTS to address energy conservation, resource management and efficient public transportation, this cannot be at the expense of individual autonomy and personal privacy. There is great promise for the return to user control in intelligent buildings and smart networks, but only if these options are built in. It is therefore vital to engage in this discussion, and civil society is solicited to participate in upcoming CSISAC policy briefs on the topics.

OECD Information, Computer and Communications Policy: First Round Meeting

2010-02-23T02:27:15Z

The 28th meeting of the Working Party on Information Security and Privacy (WPISP) will be held on 8-9 March, 2010. The meeting will address several important issues of interest to CSISAC members such as identity management, the protection of children online, the 30th Anniversary of the OECD privacy guidelines. The 59th meeting of the Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy meeting (ICCP) will be held on March 10-11, 2010. Topics to be discussed are ICT & green growth, ICT & innovation, internet intermediaries: policy implications, among other topics. Marc Rotenberg, Anna Fielder, CSISAC Steering Committee Members, and Katitza Rodriguez, CSISAC Liaison will attend the meeting.

30th Anniversary of the OECD Privacy Guidelines

2010-02-01T22:31:12Z

The year 2010 marks the 30th Anniversary of the OECD Privacy Guidelines. The Guidelines consist of eight principles that have provided the basis for national laws, international agreements, and privacy frameworks that have been adopted around the world. In the Civil Society Seoul Declaration, CSISAC reaffirmed "its support for the OECD Privacy Guidelines as a fundamental policy instrument setting out minimal requirements for the transborder flow of personal data."

To commemorate the anniversary, OECD has planned several events for 2010:

March 10: OECD Roundtable on the impact of the Privacy Guidelines, Paris, France;
October 25-26: Privacy, Technology and Global Data Flows, Jerusalem, Israel. The event will be hosted by the Israeli Law, Information and Technology Authority, and held together with the 32nd International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners Meeting.
December 1: The theme will focus on the economics and human rights dimension of Privacy, Paris, France.

On January 28, International Privacy Day, CSISAC Steering Committee Member EPIC presented the 2010 International Privacy Champion Award to the Honorable Michael Kirby for his role in the development of the OECD Privacy Guidelines. For more information: OECD: The 30th Anniversary of the OECD Privacy Guidelines.

OECD: Smart Sensor Networks

2010-01-31T21:28:25Z

The OECD Secretariat has released the report "Smart Sensor Networks: Technologies and Applications for Green Growth." The report gives an overview of sensor technology and fields of application of sensors and sensor networks. It discusses in detail selected fields of application that have high potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reviews studies quantifying the environmental impact. For more information: OECD: ICTs, the Environment and Climate Change.

OECD: International Mobile Roaming Charges

2010-01-30T21:42:34Z

The OECD has released the report "International Mobile Roaming Charging in the OECD Area" that provides information and analysis on market developments and pricing in international mobile roaming services. "While the wireless industry has witnessed spectacular developments in recent years, and is considered competitive in domestic markets, there is a widespread perception among many stakeholders, including some within the industry itself, that international mobile roaming services prices are unreasonably and inefficiently high," the OECD noted. The report provides comparative information on international mobile roaming service retail prices as well as other information. For more information: OECD: Telecommunications and Internet Policy.

CSISAC Statements on Internet Policy

2010-01-21T03:32:50Z

The CSISAC has submitted a series of recommendations to the OECD Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy (ICCP) and its working parties on a variety of Internet Policy issues. ICT and the Environment: CSISAC stressed the importance of innovation and the adoption of ICT applications for the monitoring and management of environmental challenges, such as "smart" ICT applications. CSISAC urges the expansion of dialogue among all stakeholders regarding privacy implications of "smart" ICT. CSISAC also stressed the importance of data protection in every field of application of sensor networks, and any other tracking technology. Internet Intermediaries: The document highlights civil society concerns on legal approaches to intermediary liability. As noted in the Seoul Declaration, OECD Member countries should "maintain a balanced framework for intellectual property protection that is least intrusive to personal privacy, least restrictive for the development of new technologies, and that promotes creativity, innovation, and learning." Internet and the News: CSISAC believes that a strong and independent news industry can be an important contributor to robust democracy. CSISAC believes that any policy recommendations that are not based on common standards present in all OECD member countries' copyright and other related laws should be avoided. CSISAC believes that this will assist OECD member governments in thoughtful policy development which respects the important social role played by journalists and the news industry, while preserving opportunities for emerging new forms of citizen journalism and Internet innovation. IPV6: CSISAC submitted comments on the co-existence of two incompatible Internet standards, IPv4 and IPv6. CSISAC encourages the OECD to consider undertaking more in-depth analysis on the economic and policy implications of an extended migration period in which IPv4 address scarcity is a continuing factor in the Internet supply industry. "There may or may not be cost burdens created by the transition, or negative impacts on competition, diversity and innovation on the Internet. But these problems have not been clearly documented and explained", the statement noted. CSISAC encourages a more direct consideration of policy alternatives to IPv6 in light of inadequate rates of IPv6 deployment and the realities the Internet community faces due to the lack of backwards compatibility between IPv6 and IPv4.

OECD Committee Meetings in 2010

2010-01-07T17:49:43Z

The OECD Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy (ICCP) has released its preliminary calendar for 2010.

The 28th meeting of the Working Party on Information Security and Privacy (WPISP) will be held on 8-9 March, 2010.
The 59th meeting of the Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy meeting ((ICCP) will be held on March 10-11, 2010.
The 43th Meeting of the Working Party on Communication Infrastructures and Services Policy (WPCISP) will be held on 14-15 June, 2010.
The 60th Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy (ICCP) will be held on September 29 to October 1, 2010.
The 29th meeting of the Working Party on Information Security and Privacy (WPISP) will be held on December 2-3, 2010.

Chile to become the second OECD member in Latin America

2009-12-21T21:09:03Z

OECD invited Chile to become its second member in Latin America after Mexico. Chile will formally accept this invitation when an Accession Agreement is signed on January 11, 2010 in Santiago, Chile. In another related topic, OECD appointed Martine Durand as the new Chief Statistician. Ms. Durand will lead the OECD's work in developing statistics and indicators to promote evidence-based decision-making. She joined the OECD in 1983 and has been Deputy-Director of the Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs since 2002.

Meeting without travelling: ICTs for climate change

2009-12-15T09:06:46Z

The OECD held a "virtual" side-event on the role of ICTs for climate change at COP15 (the UN Climate Change talks in Copenhagen, 7-18 December 2009). The discussion centred on the important role that ICTs have in tackling climate change and responding to environmental challenges. On the following links you will find news from the website of the OECD.

Information Economy, Communication Infrastructures and Service Policy

2009-12-12T19:09:31Z

On December 14-17, the OECD Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy will host its Annual Working Party meetings on Information Economy (WPIE) and Communication Infrastructures and Services Policy (WPCISP). The WPIE undertakes analysis of the digital delivery of content. Specifically, "OECD work includes stocktaking studies in the following areas: scientific publishing, music, on-line computer games, mobile content, user-created content, digital content and the evolution of the film and video industries and public sector information and content." To learn more about the OECD - WPIE work, please go to OECD's website. Anthony Vetter, CSISAC Steering Committee Member, and Katitza Rodriguez, CSISAC Liaison will attend both meeting.

International Human Rights Day 2009

2009-12-10T23:06:18Z

It is our duty to ensure that these rights are a living reality -- that they are known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere. It is often those who most need their human rights protected, who also need to be informed that the Declaration exists -- and that it exists for them. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

"The Declaration belongs to each and every one of us - read it, learn it, promote it and claim it as your own."

On the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council calls for the protection of Human Rights on the Internet. As stated in the Civil Society Seoul Declaration, the policy goals for the Future Internet Economy should be considered within the broader framework of protection of human rights, the promotion of democratic institutions, access to information, and the provision of affordable and non-discriminatory access to advanced communication networks and services. ]]>

Freedom of expression. Freedom of expression is being violated around the globe by state censorship and by more subtle measures such as content filtering, privatized censorship and restrictions on so-called "harmful content." We urge the OECD to defend freedom of expression and to oppose mandated filtering, censorship of Internet content, and criminalization of content that is protected under international freedom of expression standards.

Protection of Privacy and Transparency. We reaffirm our support for the OECD Privacy Guidelines as a fundamental policy instrument setting out minimal requirements for the transborder flow of personal data. We recommend adoption of the recent policy guidance on RFID and Online Identity Theft as Council Recommendations. We call on OECD countries to adopt and enforce data protection laws covering all sectors, both online and offline, and to establish international data protection standards that are legally enforceable. We further urge member states to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability for all data processing for border security, identification, and decision-making concerning individuals.

Consumer Protection. Trust and confidence are critical to the success of the Internet economy. The OECD should ensure that consumer protection laws are properly enforced and cover digital products to the same extent that other consumer goods and services are covered. We recommend that the OECD adopt the policy proposals on Empowering Consumers in Communications Services and in Mobile Commerce as Council Recommendations, and that the OECD member countries implement these recommendations. We support the OECD's efforts to facilitate cross- border enforcement of anti-spam laws and to develop effective online dispute resolution mechanisms.

Employment, Decent Work and Skills. We recommend that OECD Member countries promote learning and training opportunities for workers and address the technological and organizational change in the workplace. We further urge the OECD to lower the carbon footprint of the ICT industry and to promote compliance with core labor standards and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

Promotion of Access to Knowledge. We support open access to government-funded scientific and scholarly works and endorse the OECD Principles and Guidelines for Access to Research Data. We support the OECD Recommendation for Enhanced Access and More Effective Use of Public Information. OECD countries should oppose extensions of copyright terms and private ownership of essential knowledge and cultural information that can be made available on the Internet. We recommend that the OECD undertake a study on the importance of copyright exceptions for education, libraries and archives, the disability community, and new innovative services.

Internet Governance. Internet governance structures should reflect democratic values and be transparent and publicly accountable to users. Global Internet policymaking should involve equal participation of all people, countries, and stakeholders. We call upon the OECD member states to support the Internet Governance Forum and to promote the multi-stakeholder process of the World Summit on the Information Society.

Promotion of Open Standards and Net Neutrality. Standards-making processes should be open and should encourage competition. This promotes innovation and development. We support the procurement policies that promote open standards, open data formats, and free and open software. We further recommend that the OECD Member Countries oppose discrimination by network providers against particular applications, devices, or content and preserve the Internet's role in fostering innovation, economic growth, and democratic communication.

Balanced Intellectual Property Policies. We urge the OECD member countries to maintain a balanced framework for intellectual property protection that is least intrusive to personal privacy, least restrictive for the development of new technologies, and that promotes creativity, innovation, and learning. We support the OECD Policy Guidance for Digital Content. OECD countries should oppose proposals that would deny individuals access to all Internet services and opportunities based on alleged copyright infringement. We are also concerned about the secrecy of the "Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement" (ACTA) treaty process and the possibility of policies that may limit legitimate business activity, the participative web, and e-government service delivery.

Support for Pluralistic Media. The Internet is a universal platform for innovation, growth, and the ability of people to express and share their views. New forms of media and new applications are emerging that challenge old paradigms and enable broader public participation. At the same time, dominant Internet firms are moving to consolidate their control over the Internet. It is vitally important for the OECD to develop a better understanding of the challenge industry consolidations pose to the open Internet. The OECD Policy Guidance on Convergence and Next Generation Networks provides a basis this work.

Inclusive Digital Society. The Internet should be accessible to all. OECD member countries should ensure that all residents have the means to access the Internet and should provide public Internet access, training and support. Particular attention should be paid to rural, remote and aboriginal populations, as well as the disability community.

Cultural Diversity. We support the efforts of the OECD to promote access to the full range of the world's cultures and to ensure that the Internet economy reflects the true diversity of language, art, science, and literature in our world. The deployment of International Domain Names should be a priority.

Travel Funding Management: EDRI appointment

2009-12-10T15:05:43Z

CSISAC Steering Committee Members agreed that the European Digital Rights (EDRI) host the travel fund received from the Open Society Institute for CSISAC members to attend OECD meetings. EDRI is a CSISAC founding member, elected to CSISAC Steering Committee as a result of its 2009 election process. A procedure will be set out to allocate the travel funds so as to ensure that civil society participation is expert, effective, transparent, fair, and balanced in terms of interests and regions represented. It was further specified that the CSISAC Steering Committee will choose one well-established organizational member of the CSISAC Steering Committee to house the travel funding, in order to reduce losses with currency exchanges and overall management costs.

CSISAC Steering Committee Announcement - New SC Members

2009-12-07T20:26:50Z

The Steering Committee members of the Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council met in Madrid and online to discuss the appointment of the remaining Steering Committee members. After an in-depth discussion, the members agreed that in addition to appointing an 8th Steering Committee member, a 9th appointment was warranted to acknowledge EPIC's efforts to have Civil Society participation formally recognized at the OECD ICCP. The Steering Committee members are pleased to announce the appointment of Rashmi RANGNATH from Public Knowledge as the 8th Steering Committee member. Rashmi and Public Knowledge were active participants during the Internet Intermediaries and Network Neutrality discussion. Although Rashmi is based in the US, she is from India and can bring the developing countries perspective to the work of CSISAC. The Steering Committee members are also pleased to announce the appointment of Marc ROTENBERG, EPIC Executive Director as the 9th member. This is a special recognition for EPIC's role since the OECD 1998 Ministerial Conference in Ottawa to have Civil Society formally recognized as an OECD advisory committees. Moreover, this is also to acknowledge that EPIC didn't run for Steering Committee elections, due to its role as facilitating the first CSISAC Steering Committee Elections. This recognition is unique and will be granted for the first term only.