[Euro-board] EURALO role at EuroDIG 09

[William Drake]

Hi Wolf,

On Jun 18, 2009, at 3:59 PM, Wolf Ludwig wrote:

> Hi Bill,
>
> sorry, with all respect, I don’t agree with your point that  
> “workshops in question appear to have little
> or nothing to do with ICANN or even with Internet governance more  
> generally”, as you said.

Ok, we can agree to disagree, but since you asked I ventured an answer.
>
> I don’t want to discuss “Internet governance more generally” now  
> (what we could do at a next dinner ;-) BUT as far as I understand  
> the RALO role and EURALO mandate, we have to deal with *user  
> interests and rights*. And if I do not like restrictive and  
> prohibitive approaches by gvts., business, ITU or whoever arguing  
> for control and filtering etc. under the pretext of “child  
> protection” (see the debate in Germany at the moment) what clearly  
> endangers FoE and other basic rights, I (or EURALO) has to offer  
> alternative concepts like empowerment of users – for example via  
> Internet literacy programs, consumer information/ education etc. In  
> this context, I see a clear link with our mandate. This at least is  
> my point of view.

The session on Access to infrastructure and content says it is  
concerned with

(Part I) Access to Infrastructure: How to create an enabling  
environment? What business models and what regulation for  
infrastructure market? Financing and sharing models for IT  
infrastructure? Should there be universal service including broadband?

(Part II) Access to content: Digital divide. Should we regulate new  
media? Professional journalism and trust in the Internet. What role of  
public service media in the Internet? Quality standards for user  
generated content? Where is the dividing line between private  
communication and public expression? Viral advertising. Telecoms  
package and protecting fundamental human rights. Freedom of expression.

These are all important and interesting questions, but with the  
exception of human rights they are preeminently matters of national- 
level policy and corporate practices, not global collective governance  
frameworks.  One could argue that in cases where there is significant  
convergence of approach among major markets that a uniform set of  
rules and conditions de facto applies transnationally across a  
significant share of the relevant global policy space, and that this  
constitutes a sort of ersatz global collective policy framework, but  
that's a sort of conceptual debating point and I anyway don't see that  
these conditions actually obtain for the issues mentioned.  And--- 
again, with the exception of human rights----the linkages to ICANN are  
equally not obvious.

And the session on media literacy says it is concerned with

citizenship; competences; consumerism; media coaching; user  
aggregration; serious games; identity construction; human rights  
respect and implementation; online resources; open educational  
resources; cross-cultural education and communication; cultural  
diversity; towards a European media literacy model; governance of  
media education; mapping of media education policies; dyanmic  
coalition on media governance.

Again, these are important and interesting questions, but I see even  
less connection to IG here.  How are these IG and/or ICANN issues, in  
your view?

>
> Besides this, I agree with you that “given the important  
> developments underway in the IG field, (it) is arguably a pity” that  
> this issues are not better and appropriately reflected in the  
> current version of the EuroDIG draft program!
>

Well, so there's at least one point of agreement!

Cheers,

Bill
>
>
> William Drake wrote Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:29:
>> Hi Wolf,
>>
>> To me, as described, the workshops in question appear to have little
>> or nothing to do with ICANN or even with Internet governance more
>> generally.  Which, given the important developments underway in the  
>> IG
>> field, is arguably a pity.  In any event, it's not obvious to me what
>> the connection to your Euralo function would be here.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Bill
>>
>>
>>
>> On Jun 17, 2009, at 4:54 PM, Wolf Ludwig wrote:
>>>
>>> Dear all,
>>>
>>> as mentioned and discussed before at our monthly calls (as well as
>>> noted on our Working tool), the 2nd EuroDIG is foreseen for 14-15
>>> Sept 09 in Geneva. As some of you know, I was member of the first
>>> prep. committee for Strasbourg (besides Annette, Wolfgang and Rudi),
>>> and I am involved in the preparations for the Geneva EuroDIG as well
>>> (with Annette and Wolfgang so far). A draft program you can find
>>> attached.
>>>
>>> Together with Divina Frau-Meigs I will organise one of the Workshops
>>> (5) on “What is effective media literacy for the end user?” and
>>> Plenary 1 on “Access to infrastructure and content”. As EuroDIG /
>>> the event itself and the subjects mentioned are closely related to
>>> the EURALO mandate, I would like to know whether you agree that I
>>> can do this work in conjunction with my EURALO function (that EURALO
>>> could/should be mentioned or I do this in my – private - capacity as
>>> a media consultant)?
>>>
>>> I personally tend and prefer the first option because EuroDIG is
>>> listed on our Working program as a major outreach opportunity for
>>> 2009 - and I am interested to promote EURALO's reputation. But I
>>> need your opinions and approval on this.
>>>
>>> Thanks and regards,
>>> Wolf
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> comunica-ch
>>> phone +41 79 204 83 87
>>> Skype: Wolf-Ludwig
>>> www.comunica-ch.net
>>>
>>> Digitale Allmend
>>> http://blog.allmend.ch -
>>>
>>> EURALO - ICANN's Regional At-Large Organisation
>>> http://euralo.org<EuroDIG REV draft rolling
>>> programme.doc>_______________________________________________
>>> Euro-board mailing list
>>> Euro-board at atlarge-lists.icann.org
>>> http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/euro-board_atlarge-lists.icann.org
>>
>> ***********************************************************
>> William J. Drake
>> Senior Associate
>> Centre for International Governance
>> Graduate Institute of International and
>>  Development Studies
>> Geneva, Switzerland
>> william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch
>> www.graduateinstitute.ch/cig/drake.html
>> ***********************************************************
>>
>>
>
> comunica-ch
> phone +41 79 204 83 87
> Skype: Wolf-Ludwig
> www.comunica-ch.net
>
> Digitale Allmend
> http://blog.allmend.ch -
>
> EURALO - ICANN's Regional At-Large Organisation
> http://euralo.org

***********************************************************
William J. Drake
Senior Associate
Centre for International Governance
Graduate Institute of International and
   Development Studies
Geneva, Switzerland
william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch
www.graduateinstitute.ch/cig/drake.html
***********************************************************