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 Internet Rights
Internet Governance Forum: APC makes recommendations on themes and structure
GENEVA, Switzerland,
-- The first preparatory meeting for the next Internet Governance Forum (scheduled for December 2008 in India) was held in Geneva on 26 February 2008. APC issued a statement recommending the implementation of regional and national IGFs, using sustainable development as a key theme and advising on the format of working groups to address and follow up on key issues. APC also submitted a paper that identifies and documents the main areas of discussions and ‘recommendations’ that were generated under the access theme at the second IGF, held in Rio de Janeiro in November 2007. - 03/03/2008
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What Latin Americans understand as internet governance
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil,
-- Through an initiative of the Information Network for Civil Society (RITS), Latin American and Caribbean actors met in Rio de Janeiro in November 2007. Why in Rio and what for? To exchange ideas on the issues that were debated at the second Internet Governance Forum. Read the main pointers.
- 02/14/2008
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APC@GK3: Workshop on regulation
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia,
-- On December 13 APC, in partnership with LIRNE.net, will be hosting the workshop “Hello Regulator? Regulatory Authorities’ Information and Communication Practices”. This session is part of GK3, the third Global Knowledge Conference that is taking place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- 12/09/2007
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APC makes recommendations to UN internet governance forum
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA,
-- The second internet governance forum took place this month. It was the second meeting of five convened by the United Nations over five years to discuss the future of the world’s most critical communications resource. APC presents an initial assessment and makes suggestions for moving towards the third forum in India in December 2008.
Recommendations include the establishment of a self-regulatory mechanism to ensure participation, access to information and transparency in internet governance, convening regional and national IGFs, working groups to address complex issues, more resources for the IGF secretariat, strengthening the capacity and legitimacy of the Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group, making better use of plenary time and passing of lessons learned by former IGF hosts Brazil and Greece to New Delhi.
- 11/27/2007
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TAKE BACK THE TECH! Sixteen days of reclaiming technology to end violence against women
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
-- In Uganda, a SMS campaign called Speak out! Stand Out! is organised by WOUGNET to collect messages against violence against women... In Quebec, feminists and communication rights activists are creating short video clips and comic postcards to protest violence against women... In Malaysia, Burmese refugees are making online audio defending women's rights together with Centre for Independent Journalism... Find out how you can join in too... - 11/23/2007
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Controlling the internet
RIO de JANEIRO,
-- One of the themes discussed at the second Internet Governance Forum relates to something called the critical internet resources. Critical what? That’s what many people tried to figure out in Rio de Janeiro on November 14, starting with the speakers themselves. - 11/15/2007
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Anriette Esterhuysen's speech at the opening session of the second Internet Governance Forum (IGF) touches on key issues
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
-- APC's executive director, Anriette Esterhuysen's well-received speech at the opening session of the second Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Rio de Janeiro on Monday 12 November 2007 urged the IGF to prioritise access. Touching on critical issues such as security, openness, standards and diversity, she emphasized the potential of the internet to contribute to all aspects of human development.
- 11/13/2007
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NEW PUBLICATION: Digital television and radio: Democratisation or greater concentration?
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay,
-- Digitalisation of media is an approaching reality for Latin American countries. This technologic paradigm shift promises more democratic and diverse access to radio and TV frequencies. However, there is also a great risk of reproducing the same inequalities and power relations that exist in the “analogical” world and thus of media being in the hands of a few. This paper by Gustavo Gómez Germano
illustrates the political and regulatory implications of an apparently technical and thus neutral phenomenon. It also suggests advocacy priorities to create a more informed and active civil society [full version, pdf format]. - 11/01/2007
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NEW PUBLICATION: Convergence for development: Community radio as a digital inclusion strategy
LIMA, Peru,
-- The distinction between “new” and “old” technology is no longer significant in the current state of technology convergence. People from community radios and telecentres are working together for more democratic and participatory access to communication, specifically in rural and poor urban areas. This paper by Carlos Rivadeneyra provides conceptual tools to re-think, from this perspective, what we understand by information society [pdf version, in Spanish]. - 11/01/2007
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New publication on multi-stakeholder partnerships in ICTs for develpment
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa,
-- In response to the growing demand for information on multi-stakeholder processes in ICT policy, APC has produced the book “Frequently Asked Questions about Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships in ICTs for Development – A Guide for National ICT Policy Animators”. Download full version [also available in French, pdf format]. - 10/26/2007
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Dialogue on regulation: preparing the GK3 session
NAIROBI, Kenya,
-- In preparation for the Hello Regulator? session to be held during the Global Knowledge 3 conference, to be held in December in Malaysia, the Kenya ICT Action Network (Kictanet) is currently holding a 10-day e-discussion on eCommunication Strategies for Regulatory Authorities. The objectives of the discussion include: raising awareness on the role and objectives of information and communication regulators; identifying opportunities provided by the internet for achieving regulatory objectives; understanding threats that the internet presents to regulatory functions; discussing how regulatory bodies can use the web to achieve their objectives; establishing appropriate e-communication strategies & practices for regulators; and determining a way forward and conclusions. - 10/23/2007
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Call for dialogue: Regulatory frameworks for improving access
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay,
-- LIRNE.NET and APC invite internet and telecom practitioners, ICT policy and regulation experts, and other stakeholders to submit statements on what they identify as the key issues and important factors currently facing regulators concerned with access to infrastructure. This dialogue is being undertaken in preparation for the “Regulatory Frameworks for Improving Access” workshop to be held at this year’s Internet Governance Forum. - 10/22/2007
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Event on equitable access
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa,
-- APC announces a one-day event on equitable access to ICT infrastructure on 10 November 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Why this event? Access brings people together to exchange information, promotes new spaces for social inclusion and is fundamental to development processes in any society. However many of these innovative solutions are happening in isolation and APC’s event is a place where stakeholders working in the area of equitable can come together to share knowledge and experience and to discuss the issues. - 10/08/2007
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Crackdown on internet users in Bangladesh
Dhaka, Bangladesh,
-- Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members assisted by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) officials are conducting house-to-house searches in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet pinpointing each and every internet user with a fast connection. They are collecting user details from all the internet service providers (ISPs) in order to profile more than 450,000 internet subscribers in the country. - 10/05/2007
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Pakistan’s Draconian Electronic Crime Bill
Pakistan,
-- A controversial Electronic Crime Bill, drafted by The Ministry of IT & Telecom, Government of Pakistan, is currently being tabled in Parliament in advance of a vote. The bill has already been approved by Cabinet and could receive final approval as early as November. Critics say the Bill is draconian and lacks the safeguards to ensure the protection of civil liberties. - 09/24/2007
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‘Whose Summit? Whose Information Society?’ – An investigation of developing country and civil society experience in the World Summit on the Information Society
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa,
-- Organised in two stages, and lasting four years, WSIS certainly consumed a great deal of time and resources – both financial and human. But was it worth it? What did WSIS actually achieve? What did developing countries and civil society organisations (CSOs) gain from it? And, perhaps more importantly, did these gains outweigh the costs associated with participation? These are just some of the questions addressed in the book, commissioned by APC and written by David Souter. Read this introductory article to the 128-page study. - 09/12/2007
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Interview with David Souter: Learning from the WSIS Experience
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa,
-- APCNews interview with David Souter, author of ‘Whose Summit? Whose Information Society? Developing countries and civil society at the World Summit on the Information Society’. - 09/12/2007
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A technology entrepreneur joins APC’s policy team in Africa
MONTREAL, Canada,
-- Coura Fall is enterprising, dynamic, knows the media and has knocked around with all sorts of acronyms. One of these is ICT, used to refer to information and communication technology. Coura is preparing to give us an earful of these three letters in her new appointment as Africa ICT policy coordinator for the Association for Progressive Communications. Her first objective is to advocate for a broader access to ICTs, in particular to the internet. This, she says, will primarily be pursued by partnering with civil society, governments and the private sector for developing internet infrastructure in Africa. - 08/21/2007
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Global Information Society Watch report launched in Dhaka
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-- The report was launched on the sideline of a discussion meeting on ‘Reviewing the progress of WSIS action plan in Bangladesh’ organised by Bytesforall Bangladesh and other partner organisations. GISW, APC and Uruguayan member ITeM report that monitors the information society revolution, was presented at this event, where the Bangladesh chapter was highlighted. - 06/29/2007
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APC's efforts in UN summit on the information society recognised as central
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-- Democratising Global Communication? This is a question asked by Milton L. Mueller and colleagues at US-based universities in a report published in IJOC, the International Journal of Communication. Scrutinising the role played by global civil society at the World Summit on the Information Society, the authors insist on the centrality of APC, and conclude that “There is no doubt that WSIS was a more substantive, inclusive and meaningful exercise in global governance, because of the civil society mobilisation pioneered by [the] CRIS [Campaign] and managed so impressively by APC.” Read the 31-page report [pdf format]. - 06/12/2007
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