News: Internet governance
APC reviews the 2011 IGF
“There were very strong human rights themes across the main sessions, particularly around freedom of expression and freedom of association. However it is time for human rights to be the principal theme of the Seventh IGF,” says APC as the world’s oldest progressive network reflects on the progress of the UN conference on how the internet is run.
APC's Joy Liddicoat to advise on critical internet governance issues
APC is proud to announce that Joy Liddicoat has just been elected for a two-year term to the Generic Names Supporting Organisation (GNSO) Council. This council is one of the key venues through which civil society can voice its opinions and effect internet governance policy.
Let's get spectrum right: It's time to start making use of TV white spaces
The use and management of spectrum was raised repeatedly during the IGF with many seeing digital migration and TV white spaces as an exciting opportunity for bridging the access gap. A number of recommendations came out of an APC workshop on spectrum for development as APC schedules a white spaces workshop in Joburg this week.
Issue papers for Southern African IGF good preparation for Nairobi
New issue papers on cloud computing, mobile phones, privacy and security, critical internet resources, and access and diversity are a good introduction to some of the issues upcoming at the Sixth Internet Governance Forum.
Dot.Africa? First Southern African IGF starts Sept 1
On September 1-3 the first ever Southern African Internet Governance Forum kicks off in Johannesburg in preparation for the global UN internet forum to be held in Kenya.
London Riots: Social media does not cause social problems say APC and GreenNet
Following last week’s riots, British PM David Cameron said that his government is considering a crackdown on online communications. However he forgets that the same websites and phone networks were also used to locate friends and plan safe exits from trouble-spots. APC and GreenNet issue a statement.
Internet governance in Latin America and the Caribbean: Remote participation
From August 9-11 APC is at this regional meeting in Trinidad and Tobago. You can also participate from wherever you are.
Internet Governance Forum 2011: Pre-event on access as a right
APC and partners are hosting a pre-event on access to the internet from a human rights perspective on Monday September 26 at the sixth Internet Governance Forum in Nairobi, Kenya.
APC at the Sixth Internet Governance Forum
APC members and staff will be participating at this year’s Internet Governance Forum in Nairobi, Kenya from 27-30 September 2011. The proposed theme is ‘Internet as a catalyst for change: access, development, freedoms and innovation’ and so APC will be hosting a number of workshops as well as a pre-event based on the themes of access, human rights, and development.
First Latin American and Caribbean convention of Internet Governance
The Fourth Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will take place from August 8th to 11th, 2011 in the city of Port Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The event will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
Internet Rights are Human Rights, says APC at Human Rights Council
APC calls on the Human Rights Council to treat freedom of expression online as a human rights issue.
APC event at the UN Human Rights Council: Watch the video
As part of APC’s Connect your rights! Internet Rights are Human Rights campaign, APC is co-hosted a side-event at the Human Rights Council’s seventeenth session in Geneva on 3 June.
Human rights belong to people, not to networked computers
Former New Zealand human rights commissioner Joy Liddicoat has just joined APC to lead a new Internet Rights are Human Rights campaign. Although she is busy getting ready for Internet Governance Forum consultations on May 18-19, she took a few moments to talk to APCNews.
APC's conclusions on the fifth Internet Governance Forum – and recommendations for the future
On September 17 the fifth Internet Governance Forum (IGF) came to an end in Vilnius, Lithuania. The five-year UN-run annual event is a uniquely experimental and influential space on the road to guaranteeing open, universal and affordable internet and ICT access to all. However the continuity of the IGF is uncertain. Download and read our analysis of the most recent forum.
Blogging to tell it like it is: The IGF from a personal perspective
An unlikely, but real conversation that took place between a .xxx domain representative (which is exclusively for pornographic sites) and a feminist; the consequences of having a .gay domain; and thoughts about privacy on the internet from a victim of violence. These are some of the topics you can read about in the GenderIT.org blog from the APC team, that was blogging from the fifth Internet Governance Forum, the UN international arena to debate the internet.
A code to encourage citizen participation in how the internet is run
How can we get more citizens to participate more actively in the complex process of how the internet is run? While having accessible information about it is important, it is not enough. The institutions that work in internet governance must ensure that the information is accessible in a language and format that for those who are not specialists in the subject. APC and partners are developing a code of good practice to establish minimum standards to ensure transparency and information where internet governance is concerned. Photo by “Nirbaho”:http://www.flickr.com/photos/nirbhao/3378286018/sizes/m/
Gender in the IGF agenda
The “missing paragraph” of the IGF clauseIn a workshop organised by the APC’s women’s programme during this year’s Internet Governance Forum (IGF), one of the panellists took off his tie as he began to speak. As an unmistakeable element of IGF culture, the suits worn by government and corporate representatives are a subtle reflection of scant will to discuss issues that affect women from their perspective. The presence of young women activists in this year’s IGF from India, South Africa, Brazil and the Congo, tweeting and blogging with humour and enthusiasm about issues like security, freedom of speech, pornography, social rights and other IG issues presented at the forum, were a stark contrast to the presence of so many suit-clad, middle-aged men. Photo by
APC at the Fifth Internet Governance Forum
APC staff and members will be in Vilnius, Lithuania, for the fifth meeting of the Internet Governance Forum. We’ll be running two workshops and hosting a pre-event on human rights. Here’s a quick review of our activities. We’ll be providing on-site coverage for those of you following the IGF remotely.
Let's talk about the internet: First West African IGF taking place in August
After regional IGF processes in the US, UK and Kenya have demonstrated that national discussions can have an impact at the global level on issues such as child pornography and internet security, West Africa will host its first regional IGF from August 23 to 25 in Dakar Senegal, in part thanks to APC. The space for policy dialogue on Internet Governance will allow for issues that are particular to West Africa to be discussed by the different stakeholders.
Internet Governance Forum 2010: Pre-event on human rights
Attempts to get human rights on the internet onto the agenda at the Fifth Internet Governance Forum –the UN conference now in its possibly final edition— which is to take place in September foundered in the face of government resistance. And the IGF agenda for 2010 will focus on development and internet governance. However Vilnius will be the scenario to shape a debate on censorship, freedom of expression and privacy that has been clamouring for attention. APC and partners will hold a discussion on internet governance and human rights immediately before the IGF in Vilnius, Lithuania on September 13.
