IGF 2012 Workshop Proposal :: (No: 154) Internet & Jurisdiction: What frameworks for cross-border online communities and services?

Status:

IGF Theme(s) for workshop: Taking Stock and the Way Forward

Main theme question address by workshop: Question 1: How are the rules for the Internet set?

Concise description of the proposed workshop:

This workshop addresses the growing tension between the technically cross-border nature of the Internet and a traditional legal and regulatory framework that bases jurisdiction on the physical boundaries of national territories.

Conflicts of jurisdiction regarding personal data, freedom of expression, consumer protection, intellectual property and security are proliferating. But the development of a patchwork of uncoordinated national regulations could threaten the universality of the Internet as a global network.

The workshop’s main purpose is to raise awareness and understanding of this problem and to explore how this common concern of governments, private companies and civil society actors can be addressed collaboratively.

On the basis of an input paper, the workshop will facilitate discussion on the following topics:
• the jurisdictional challenges faced by cross-border online services and their communities (30 min)
• the dangers for all actors (including governments) and the Internet as a whole if this issue remains unaddressed (30 min)
• how to foster cooperation and identify possible concepts and frameworks (1 h)

The open dialogue will serve as a contribution to the main session “Taking stock and the way forward” and other sessions as specified in Question 3a. Moreover, it will examine the next steps of the Internet & Jurisdiction project and will introduce the audience to the planned Internet & Jurisdiction conference in spring 2013 to explore the possible involvement of IGF participants therein.

Background Paper: IGF BAKU WORKSHOP Frameworks for online communnities and services.docx

 

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

Bertrand de LA CHAPELLE, Director, Internet & Jurisdiction project, International Diplomatic Academy, Paris

The Internet & Jurisdiction project actively engages more than 50 participants from governments (from Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia-Pacific), private sector (ISPs, content providers, social media platforms, cloud services), technical community (including the Internet infrastructure), civil society (NGOs, academia and advocacy groups) and international organizations.

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

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

Neither the Internet & Jurisdiction Project, nor the International Diplomatic Academy have organized or co-organized workshops in previous IGFs. But Bertrand de LA CHAPELLE has in his previous function (see links to reports below).

Rio de Janeiro : Multi-stakeholder Policy Development (http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/rio_reports/WS_27_Short_Report.pdf)
Hyderabad : National multi-stakeholder processes and their relation to the IGF
(http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/2008-igf-hyderabad/event-reports/72-work…)

 

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

Romulo NEVES (Ministry of External Relations, Brazil), confirmed
Constance BOMMELAER (ISOC), confirmed
Brian CUTE (Public Interest Registry), tbc
Patrick RYAN (Google), confirmed
Lee HIBBARD (Council of Europe), confirmed

Name of Remote Moderator(s):

Paul FEHLINGER, project manager, Internet & Jurisdiction project, International Diplomatic Academy