Internet Governance
December 2, 2016
The Civil Society Council (CSISAC) of the OECD Committee on Digitalisation will take part in the 2016 Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to be held in Guadalajara (Mexico). Steering Committee member Marc Rotenberg from EPIC will participate in behalf of CSISAC. Many other CSISAC members will organize and take part in the many workshops and panels during the event, including civil society representation at the High Level Meeting in the beginning of the event thanks to Mishi Choudari.
The CSISAC has been invited to take part in the workshop organized by the OECD in the event to present the outcomes of the 2016 Ministerial Meeting, held in Cancún (Mexico) in June this year. CSISAC Steering Committee member Marc Rotenberg from EPIC will be invited to present the perspective of the Civil Society Stakeholder, as a result of the Civil Society Forum held in the first day of the high level meeting, Towards an Inclusive, Equitable, and Accountable Digital Economy. The OECD is expected to present the outcomes of the Ministerial and its follow up, the Horizontal Project on Digitalisation to be implemented in the 2017-2018 period, to be launched in the context of the next G20 process.
In addition to that, the OECD planned to present the Broadband Toolkit for Latin America and the Caribbean, a pivotal develoment to guide the deployment of the Information and Communication Technologies in the region. The CSISAC will continue working with the leading NGOs of the area to improve the recommendation and to monitor its implementation in their countries. The OECD participation in the IGF will be closed with a panel on competition on the digital age will close the OECD organized activities, a tangible outcome of the effort lead by the CSISAC at the OECD to take into account the risk of digital monopolies in the digitalisation process.
Beyond the OECD related activity, many CSISAC members will be taking part in the various activities at the IGF. Among the most visible interventions, CSISAC member Mishi Choudari will take the floor in the High Level meeting to be held at the beginning of the event, together with speakers representing technical communities like ISOC or ICANN, in addition to corporaions and governments. CSISAC Steering Committee membes will participate as well, including Marc Rotenberg from EPIC to take part in the workshop about encryption and safety of journalists in the digital age; and Jeremy Malcolm from EFF, who will organize workshops on the right to be forgotten, and on the relation between trade agreements and Internet governance.
Other activities supported by CSISAC members include the Open Forum Germany moderated by Wolfgang Kleinwächter; Katitza Rodrigues from EFF will co-organize a panel on surveillance and international rights together with Luis Fdo. García from R3D, who also takes part in a panel on the right to access in Latin America; Milton Muller will co-organize a panel on Internet domain fragmentation and another one on the impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership to the Internet; Rafik Dammak on the power of non-commercial users of the Internet and also another one on the answerability of the multi-stakeholder model, where Jeannette Hoffman will participate as speaker;and ; Renata Aquino on gender and access; John Carr will speak in the workshop on the Internet of Toys and Things., and Hernán Galperin on a panel about connecting the unconnected.
The CSISAC Secretariat will be providing support to its members all along the meeting to facilitate coordination towards fostering the Civil Society Goals in the dialogue, and to facilitate engagement of civil society experts in the OECD policy-making work for 2017-2018.
September 30, 2013
The OECD has released a new publication titled "The Internet Economy on the Rise: Progress since the Seoul Declaration." This publication reviews progress made since the 2008 OECD Seoul Declaration for the Future of the Internet Economy and identifies areas for future work. Seven themes are addressed: high-speed infrastructure; digital content and green ICTs; the development of smarter applications; cybersecurity and privacy; consumer empowerment and protection; an open Internet economy; and global participation for development.
June 23, 2014
Speaking at a high level meeting on Internet Policy Making, CSISAC Steering Committee member and EPIC President Marc Rotenberg urged the OECD to examine the impact dominant Internet firms may have on the future of innovation and freedom. Citing the Charter of the OECD Civil Society Council, Rotenberg said "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 is well known for the International Privacy Guidelines and is currently updating the Security Guidelines, which establish a global framework for managing cyber risks. A Ministerial meeting meeting will be held in Mexico in 2016.
January 6, 2014
In December 2013, the OECD Committee on Digital Economy Policy (CDEP, formerly ICCP) agreed to revise the 2002 Recommendation of the Council concerning Guidelines for the Security of Information Systems and Networks: Towards a Culture of Security (Security Guidelines).
September 2, 2014
CSISAC will participate in the 2014 Internet Governance Forum, to be held this week in Istanbul, Turkey. The theme of the forum is "Connecting Continents for Enhanced Multistakeholder Internet Governance".
December 8, 2014
The OECD has released a new report titled "Measuring the Digital Economy: A New Perspective." From the OECD: "The growing role of the digital economy in daily life has heightened demand for new data and measurement tools. Internationally comparable and timely statistics combined with robust cross-country analyses are crucial to strengthen the evidence base for digital economy policy making, particularly in a context of rapid change. This report presents indicators traditionally used to monitor the information society and complements them with experimental indicators that provide insight into areas of policy interest. The key objectives of this publication are to highlight measurement gaps and propose actions to advance the measurement agenda."
December 11, 2014
CSISAC was invited to participate in the OECD's Technology Foresight Forum 2014 on the Internet of Things. Also known as the Internet of Everything or the Industrial Internet, the Internet of Things (IoT) is a term applied to the next 50 billion machines and devices that will go online in the coming two decades. The goal of the forum was to inform policy makers of the technical developments that will influence issues in the near and longer-term future. CSISAC member Claire Milne attended the forum on behalf of CSISAC.
February 27, 2015
CSISAC will participate in the 2016 OECD Ministerial on Digital Economy in Mexico in May 2016. CSISAC will convene a meeting for civil society organizations concerning the future of the Internet. The Ministerial will also encourage emerging and developing countries to discuss how Internet policy making can address current and emerging issues in a way that helps mitigate risks to, and maximises the economic and social benefits of, the Internet economy.
January 31, 2015
OECD work to date has helped solidify the general understanding of the Internet as a general purpose technology and the need to preserve its open and decentralised nature. Yet further work is needed to demonstrate that good Internet policy making not only supports an expanding open Internet economy, but also stimulates innovation and economic and social growth.
The next Ministerial meeting will encourage the ongoing dialogue and associate emerging and developing countries to discuss how Internet policy making can address current and emerging issues in a way that helps mitigate risks to, and maximises the economic and social benefits of, the Internet economy.
Demonstrating the importance of Internet policy making will also set the scene for a discussion on how innovation in the Internet economy can be leveraged to address key challenges in the economy and society that demand policy attention now or in the near future, such as lack of jobs growth and ageing populations.
December 18, 2011
In a press release published on 19 December 2011, the CSISAC welcomes the Recommendation on Principles for Internet Policy Making adoped by the OECD Council on 13 December 2011, which reaffirms OECD commitment to a free, open and inclusive Internet.
Most critically, this Recommendation envisions a collaborative decision-making process that is inclusive of civil society issues and concerns, such as those expressed by CSISAC when it declined to support a previous Communique resulting from the OECD High Level Meeting of June 2011.
CSISAC looks forward to working with the OECD in order to develop the Principles itemized in the December Recommendation in greater detail and in a manner that promotes openness, is grounded in respect for human rights and the rule of law, and strengthens the capacity to improve the quality of life for all citizens.
June 28, 2011
The CISASAC has declined to support an OECD Communique, stating that it could undermine "online freedom of expression, freedom of information, the right to privacy, and innovation across the world." CSISAC Press Release. CSISAC Statement. The OECD Communique was released at an OECD High Level Meeting in Paris - "The Internet Economy: Generating Innovation and Growth." Statement of Consumer Federation of America and Consumers Union. Statement of European Digital Rights. Internet Governance Project Statement. Public Knowledge Statement. EFF Statements [1] [2]. CIPPIC Statement and Press Release. RSF Statement supporting CSISAC's decision. APC Statement. Digitale Gesellschaft (German NGO) Statement in support of CSISAC's decision. La Quadrature du Net Statement in support of CSISAC's decision [1] and [2].
January 21, 2010
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.
October 7, 2009
The Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will host a series of meeting from October 12-16, 2009 in Paris, France.
The 27th Meeting of the Working Party on Information Security and Privacy (WPISP) will be held in October 12-13. From Emerging Privacy issues to portability, competition, and innovation, the ICCP Technology Foresight Forum on Cloud Computing will be held on October 15. A briefing Paper on Cloud Computing and Public Policy prepared for the Forum has been released.
The 58th session of the Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy will be held at the OECD Headquarters in October 15-16, 2009.
The Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council will be represented by Gus Hosein from Privacy International, Gwen Hinze, International Policy Director Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and member of CSISAC Steering Committee, and Katitza Rodriguez, CSISAC Liaison, and International Privacy Director Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).
September 22, 2009
Civil Society participants at the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future on the Internet affirmed "that the policy goals for the Future of the Internet should be considered within the broader framework of protection of human rights, the promotion of democratic institutions, and the provision of affordable and non-discriminatory access to advanced communication infrastructures and services. Economic growth should be for the many and not the few. The Internet should be available to all."
June 14, 2009
The Working Party on Communication and Information Services Policy (CISP) will be held on June 15-18 in Paris. France. This Committee "reviews telecommunications and Internet policy, reviews developments in information infrastructure: regulatory reform, convergence of telecommunication, Internet, cable television and broadcasting networks".
Some topics that this Committee addressed are:
Telecommunications regulation, Domain Name System, IP network connection and interoperability, competition in voice markets; Policy and regulatory implications of new wireless technologies; sensors Networks, RFID; New applications, services and protocols, Bandwidth and traffic exchange.
Some issues that might be of interest of CSISAC members are:
- Intellectual Property, Privacy & Data Protection, Consumer Rights, Internet Governance, Network Neutrality, Digital Inclusion
January 29, 2009
The new OECD website on Innovation Strategy will discuss how innovation works in a global market for science and technology. Their goal is to help policy makers improve framework conditions.
January 29, 2009
On December 11, 2008, OECD-BIAC organized a workshop on ICT and Innovation in Paris, France. The workshop was designed as an input to the OECD Innovation Strategy. The meeting focused on the ICT sector itself and innovation ICT applications across sectors, current economic challenges and supporting policy.
January 29, 2009
In December 2008. the OECD participated in the third Internet Governance Forum which took place in Hyderabad, India. This included organizing an Open Forum on the Outcomes of the Seoul Ministerial Chaired by Ambassador David Gross, Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, United States. Panelists for this event included Peter Voss, Head of Division, International Policy for Information & Communication Technologies, Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, Germany; Tom Walker, Director Europe and International, BERR, United Kingdom; Gulshan Rai, Director at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, India; Joseph H. Alhadeff, Vice President for Global Public Policy and Chief Privacy Officer, Oracle Corporation , Chair of BIAC's Information, Computer and Communication (ICCP) Committee, Vice Chair of ICC's Commission on E-Business, IT and Telecoms; Katitza Rodríguez Pereda, Public Voice Coordinator; Bill Graham, Strategic Global Engagement, Office of the President, Internet Society (ISOC) and Marcus Courtney, Head of Department, UNI Telecom Global Union.
January 29, 2009
On May 27-28, 2009, the OECD and the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation will hold a conference on “ICTs, the environment and climate change”.
January 2, 2009
A diverse group of civil society organizations and individuals from the Public Voice Coalition worked on a joint Civil Society Declaration to the OECD 2008 Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy, which took place in Seoul in June 2008.
This document raises a number of issues of major importance to the civil society community and makes a number of recommendations to move towards the future of the Internet that meets the essential needs of all the world's citizens. The declaration has been signed by (so far) 86 organizations and more than 99 individuals.
January 1, 2009
With the slogan "Shaping Policies for Creativity, Confidence and Convergence in the Digital World", the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) held the 2008 Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul, South Korea on June 17 and 18. In all, close to 2,200 participants from 68 economies attended the Meeting, which was webcast.
All the materials are placed online
January 1, 2009
On June 16, 2008, more than 150 participants from 15 countries gathered in Seoul, South Korea, for the Civil Society - Labor Forum "Making the Future of the Internet Economy Work for Citizens, Consumers, and Workers. The event was organized by the The Public Voicecoalition, the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC), and the OECD Civil Society Reference group, which includes the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the Canadian Internet Policy and Public interest Clinic (CIPPIC), Consumers Korea (CK), the European Digital Rights Initiative (EDRI), the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), the Internet Governance Project (IGP), and the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD).
June 30, 2008
The presentations of all the speakers at the OECD Civil Society Forum are now available online. The forum consists of interactive policy round tables, covering the future of the Internet from 5 perspectives: the Human and political dimension; Towards a better future – Decent work, social justice and sustainable development in a global Internet economy; Fueling creativity and access to knowledge (A2K); Ensuring consumer and privacy protection and benefiting from convergence
June 30, 2008
At the OECD Ministerial conference on the Future of the Internet Economy, the Secretary General of the Paris-based research and policy-making organization recommended that the OECD begin the process of formalising the participation of civil society and the technical community in the work of the OECD on the Internet economy.
June 30, 2008
A report made by Cristos Velasco´s blog on the results of the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy.
June 30, 2008
A report made by Nigel Waters, Australian Privacy Foundation and Consumers Federation of Australia on the results of the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy.
June 30, 2008
Statement presented by Anriette Esterhuysen of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) at the closing of OECD ministerial conference on the future Internet economy on June 18, 2008.
June 30, 2008
Civil Society Participants in the Public Voice Coalition published a Civil Society Policy Paper, which was presented at the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy held on 17-18 June 2008 in Seoul, Korea.
