IGF 2012 Workshop Proposal :: (No: 146) Intellectual property rights and the freedom to share: are the two compatible?

Status:

IGF Theme(s) for workshop: Emerging Issues

Main theme question address by workshop: Question 2: What are acceptable and proportionate measures that offer Intellectual Property protection

Concise description of the proposed workshop:

One of the fundamental tensions in Internet-related policy worldwide is the tension between the proponents of fundamental intellectual property rights and the proponents of a more liberal freedom to share, which is a unique attribute of the emerging information society. Indeed, the pervasive and widespread use of file-sharing services, peer-to-peer exchanges, and social media, particularly by the young people, also resulted in their abuse for illegal distribution of copyrighted content.

This workshop will focus on the tensions between intellectual property rights and the freedom to share. It will interrogate such questions as: Is the classical conceptualization of copyright reconcilable with the practices of online culture of sharing? Are the classical copyright enforcement tools adequate or efficient for copyright protection online? What are the ways content creators can thrive in online environment? What unintended consequences can strong enforcement of classical copyright thinking have for creativity online? What can those mean for the entrepreneurial communities, particularly in the developing countries? How do young people actually use file sharing websites, peer-to-peer exchanges, and social media? How do we respect people's right to profit from their intellectual property while preserving the openness, creativity, and innovation of the Internet? Can we envision alternative solutions beyond Creative Commons?

This workshop will address those questions through an open discussion. The panelists will act more as resource persons
to trigger the discussion, but the emphasis will be put to engage all attendees of the workshop in the discussion. In addition, our goal is to promote the discussion about intellectual property rights across different age groups, as we believe different perceptions of copyright and of the Internet culture, have an impact on the array of legal and practical solution that people envision.

Background Paper:

 

Name of the organiser(s) of the workshop and their affiliation to various stakeholder groups:

ISOC Next Generation Leaders Programme Alumni, under the mentorship of ISOC
Ms GRACE L N Mutung'u (Bomu), Fanartics Limited, private sector, Africa
Mr Paul Muchene, iHub, private sector, Africa
Mr Luca Belli, Sorbonne University, academia, WEOG
Mr Dimitry Epstein, Cornell University, academia, WEOG
Mr Markus Kummer, ISOC, NGOs, WEOG

Have you, or any of your co-organisers, organised an IGF workshop before?: Yes

Please provide link(s) to workshop(s) or report(s):

"Core Internet Values and the Principles of Internet Governance Across Generations" http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=… (report at: http://www.elon.edu/e-web/predictions/igf_2010/youth_core_Internet_valu…)

 

Provide the names and affiliations of the panellists you are planning to invite:

Mr Luca Belli, Sorbonne University, academia, WEOG, confirmed;
Ms Roxana Radu, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, academia, WEOG, confirmed;
Mr Theodore Brinkofski, founder of Hulkshare.com, Hong Kong and USA, private sector, WEOG, invited;
Mr Ali Hamed, President at All Things Go, Managing Partner at C&C Consulting, private sector, WEOG, confirmed;
Ms Fatima Cambronero, Research director at AGEIA DENSI, academia, GRULAC, confirmed;
Mr Stuart Hamilton, Senior Policy Advisor, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, WEOG, confirmed;
Mr Paul Muchene, iHub, private sector, Africa, confirmed;
Mr Attoumani Mohamed Karim, Autorité Nationale de Régulation des TIC, Government, Africa, confirmed;
Mr Pierre Lotis NANKEP, Agence Nationale des Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication, Government, Africa, confirmed;
Ms Hannah Broadbent, Childnet, WEOG, NGOs, confirmed;
Mr Matt Zimmerman, Senior Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation, WEOG, NGOs, confirmed;
Ms Chelsea Rowe, Cornell University, WEOG, civil society, confirmed.

 

Name of Remote Moderator(s):

Ms Vanessa Cravo; Mr Tracy Hackshaw