Security, Internet principles and human rights – PL 05 2014

Session title State Security, Internet Principles, and Human Rights

Session subject Summary of the current Discussion

People:

• Focal point: Marianne Franklin, IRP Coalition (IGF) / Goldsmiths University of London
• Live moderator: tbd
• Rapporteur: tbd
• Remote participation moderator: tbd
• Digital facilitator: Gordon
• Panelists/speakers: (suggested list of panelist/speakers) tbc
• Participants: tbc

Session description In this plenary we consider the overlaps, and disconnects, between three sorts of aspirations for internet design, access, and use. For some these three concerns are non-reconcilable. For others they must be reconciled if the internet is to remain viable and accessible for more than a wealthy and educated minority; and remain a democratic rather than oppressive medium.

For others, declarations of intent and high-level agreements on broad principles do not deal adequately with how to (re)design the internet in a rights-based and principled way. The devil here is in the details and knowledge of these details is not accessible for all. What everyone does agree on is that internet design, access, and use lie at the heart of political, economic, and everyday life whether we like it or not. And recent events underscore the need to ensure that human rights and freedoms can be protected and enjoyed online not only today but also in the future. As a number of high-level meetings produce statements recognizing that human rights online matter (e.g., NETmundial), and that internet governance processes need to work with agreed–upon and transparent principles, experts and lay-persons are mobilizing to see these aspirations put into practice in palpable ways. However, opinions differ markedly on what the priorities are (e.g. state security versus personal privacy), how to achieve these goals, by whom, by what means, and for whose benefit.

The plenary will consider the interrelationship between security priorities, internationally agreed sets of principles for internet governance, and international human rights norms from a range of perspectives. It will unpack different understandings of these three goals and their implications for the future of the internet that can be accessed and enjoyed by all. The plenary will engage the various views of political representatives, the technical community, intergovernmental organizations, internet businesses, and ordinary people on the relationship between these three concerns and whether this implies a zero-sum game, Catch 22, or a Faustian Pact.

Key participants will be invited to speak from the floor and from the podium in response to the following questions, listed below in a preliminary formulation and so open for input before the meeting.

Format and Key Participants: This plenary is organized in order to ensure depth and breadth of content and participation. Key participants comprise two groups, on the podium and from the floor. Interventions will be brief and in response to thematic themes for this session. Participants from the floor and on the podium have equal speaking rights. Other members from the audience are also welcome to contribute. Invitees

• Sir Richard Tilt (UK); Internet Watch Foundation, http://iwf.org.uk/ , Civil Society
• Annie Machon (UK), Former MI5 agent and Whistleblower, http://anniemachon.ch/ , civil society
• Jeannette Hoffmann (Germany), WZF, academic
• Jan Kleijssen (NL), Council of Europe, IGO
• Xianhong Hu, UNESCO, IGO
• Olivier Crepin-Leblond (UK, technical)
• Leonid Todorov (Russia), Technical-Civil Society
• Gry Hasselbalch (Denmark), Youth
• Ana Neves (Portugal), Government
• Michael Rotert (Germany, Eco), Business (tbc)
• Nishant Shah (India); Academic-Civil Society (tbc)
• Moderator: Marianne Franklin
• RP Moderator: tbc

Protocol. Discussions: EtherPad | Google Doc

See also the discussion tab on the upper left side of this page

Further reading:

Live stream / remote participation: Link

Final report from working group: PDF (approx. 2 weeks after event)

Mailing List: tbc

Preparatory meetings:

• date (venue)
• link (online)
• preparatory discussion (via Mail)

Pictures from working group: Link

Session tags:

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