Recent Events

• WSIS Follow-up Conference Held in Copenhagen. The World Federation of United Nations Associations Task Force on WSIS & The Danish Network on WSIS organized a conference in Copenhagen, Denmark on February 21-22, 2006 to follow up on the World Summit on the Information Society, which concluded on November 18, 2005 with an agreement among world leaders on ambitious objectives and promises for the future Information Society. The conference, called "Where to go from Tunis? Implementation of and follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society and the role of Civil Society in this process," evaluated the results of the WSIS process and took stock of what impact the summit can have on global development in general, and more specifically on the future of the Information Society, particularly from a civil society perspective. The event presented keynote speeches and workshops focused on four concrete issues and approaches, including one on "Human Rights and ICT's." More information.
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: Launch of "Privacy & Human Rights 2005" at WSIS. The Electronic Privacy Information Center launched the 2005 edition of Privacy and Human Rights at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia, November 16-18, 2005. With its review of privacy laws and related developments in more than 70 countries around the world, Privacy and Human Rights 2005 is the most comprehensive survey on privacy and data protection ever published. Privacy is one of the most critical policy issues facing governments today. The survey will prove to be an enormously important resource for policymakers, experts, government officials and activists alike during the World Summit on the Information Society. The panel gathered representatives from civil society and human rights organizations—including those from Tunisia—as well as data protection authorities and academic experts to discuss the importance of the right to privacy in the development of the Information Society. More information.
• The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), Tunisia, November 16-18, 2005. The second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society will take place in Tunisia in November of 2005. The first phase, held in Geneva, involved the adoption of a Declaration of Principles and a Plan of Action available for download at the WSIS website. Live video and audio web coverage of the Geneva Summit plenary, roundtables and press conferences can be accessed here. There will first be a preparatory meeting in the first half of 2004 to review those issues of the information society which should form the focus of the Tunis phase of the WSIS and to agree on the structure of the process for the second phase on the basis of contributions from delegations.
• Fourth Iberoamerican Meeting on Data Protection (Encuentro Iberoamericano de Protección de Datos), Mexico City, November 2-4, 2005. More information.
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: Launch of the 2005 version of "Privacy and Human Rights," Bogota, Colombia, October 20-21 2005. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), the Grupo de Estudios en Internet, Comercio Electrónico, Telecomunicaciones e Informática (GECTI) and Computer Professional for Social Responsibility-Peru (CPSR-Perú) hosted a Public Voice Symposium on "Privacy and Data Protection in Latin America - Analysis and Perspectives" at the Universidad de Los Andes in Bogota, Colombia, on October 20-21, 2005. More information.
• The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) PrepCom 3, Geneva, September 19-30, 2005.
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: Symposium: Link Research on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT's) to Development, Brazzaville, Congo, May 16-17, 2005. Students, researchers, professors and leaders of community projects, representatives from government agencies and the private sector gathered in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo for a symposium on the theme of linking research on information and communication technologies (ICT's) to development.
• The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) PrepCom 2, Geneva, February 17-25, 2005. This is the second Preparatory meeting (PrepCom) of the second Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society. The 3rd and final meeting before the Summit will take place in September 2005 in Tunisia.
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: Africa Electronic Privacy and Public Voice Symposium, Capetown, December 6, 2004. The Public Voice held a dialogue of African perspectives on electronic privacy, online speech and Internet governance directly after the ICANN meetings in Cape Town.
• UN ICT Task Force Meeting, Berlin, November 19-20, 2004. The meeting will feature a Global Forum on "Enabling Environment for Digital Development".
• "CPSR Conference: Making the Grade? A Report Card on US Policy and the Information Society", Georgetown University, Washington, DC, October 16, 2004. Experts from academia, civil society organizations, and the private sector analyzed the Bush Administration's performance on a variety of ICT issues and give a "grade" on the merits, and later, a big picture overview of and cumulative final grade on current US policy. The conference concluded with an open discussion on how to advance a public interest agenda that is suited to the current technological and policy environment, and on the roles that CPSR and other progressive advocacy organizations can play in such an effort.
• IV World Congress of Computer Law, "Policies and Regulatory Framework for Everyone's Information Society," Cuzco, Peru, October 11-15, 2004. Alfa-Redi, a non-governmental organization, invited all students and professionals interested in the development and progress of Computer Science and its social and regulatory impact. It was an opportunity to share and exchange opinions, experiences and to propose policies for the better use of new technologies, taking into account the social development of each country and community.
• UN Working Group on Internet Governance Meeting, Geneva, September 19-20, 2004. This was the newly established Working Group's first consultation of stakeholders. The meeting was open to representatives of International Organizations, as well as to participants from NGOs, civil society and business entities accredited to the WSIS.
• ICANN Studienkreis, Aarhus, Denmark, September 17-18, 2004. The ICANN Studienkreis is an open network of individuals from different Internet constituencies both from the private sector, the academia, the civil society, the media and the government. Established in 1999, the ICANN Studienkreis organizes annual High Level expert seminars on subjects, related to Internet Governance and the development of ICANN.
• 26th International Conference on Privacy and Personal Data Protection, Poland, September 14-16, 2004. The 26th International Conference on Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners: "the Right to Privacy - the Right to Dignity" was held in Wroclaw under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Poland.
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: "Privacy in a New Era: Challenges, Opportunities and Partnerships", Poland, September 13, 2004. Held prior to the International Conference on Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners, this Public Voice symposium was organized by EPIC, EDRi and Privacy International.
• Preventing the Internet Meltdown, Los Angeles, CA, July 26-28, 2004. People For Internet Responsibility (PFIR) held a conference in Los Angeles aimed at addressing and preventing problems which could lead to a "meltdown" of the Internet.
• Americas Social Forum (WSF), Quito, Ecuador, July 25-30, 2004. The Americas Social Forum 2004 was held in Quito, Ecuador on July 25-30, 2004. The Americas Social Forum (ASF) is part of the World Social Forum (WSF) process initiated in 2001. The World Social Forum has become the largest space for the articulation of social initiatives, the development of critical thinking, and the construction of alternatives to the neoliberal order, under the common belief that ÒAnother World is PossibleÓ.  It is an initiative of the emerging planetary civil society that aims to value the practices of civic struggle and participation in different societies, and to give a global dimension to the proposals that are born of them. The previous WSF was held in Mumbai, India on January 16-21, 2004.
• ITU WSIS thematic meeting, "Countering spam," Geneva, July 7-9, 2004. The ITU held a forum for numerous stakeholders, including government policy-makers and regulators, consumer groups, Internet service providers, software companies, academics and civil society organizations, to exchange experiences and share their views on technical, legal and other solutions to fighting spam.
• The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 1st Preparatory Meeting, Tunisia, June 24-26, 2004. This was the first Preparatory meeting (Prepcom) of the second Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society. There was a civil society informational meeting on June 23 in Hammamet, Tunisia. More information on this meeting can be found at www.itu.int and www.worldsummit2005.org.
• Big Brother Awards USA, Berkeley, California April 21, 2004. In April, Privacy International held the 5th annual US Big Brother awards to celebrate the invaders and champions of privacy. The ceremony took place at the 2004 Computers, Freedom, and Privacy Conference. "Orwell" statutes were presented to the government agencies, companies and initiatives which have done most to invade personal privacy. A "Lifetime Menace" award was also presented. Brandeis Awards were given to those have done exemplary work to protect and champion privacy. Winners of the awards were selected by a judging panel made up of lawyers, academics, consultants, journalists and civil rights activists based on nominees made by the public and experts.
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: Public Voice Roundtable, "Consumers and Privacy in South America," Buenos Aires, Argentina, April 16, 2004.
  This Roundtable discussion was organized by the Electronic Privacy Information Center, Consumers International (Oficina para América latina y el Caribe) and the Instituto de Derecho del Consumidor del Colegio Pœblico de Abogados de la Capital Federal the Foro de Habeas Data. The event was intended to promote the dialogue between South American consumer protection organizations, experts in consumer and privacy law and government data protection agencies.
• NYC Grassroots Media Conference, New York City, February 2004. The weekend-long conference was organized to promote awareness of the independent media in the city, to strengthen and unify the city's independent media, to educate each other on media advocacy, and to create strong bonds among community groups and local media for future collaborations. Visit the conference website to find out more information.
• The World Social Forum (WSF), Mumbai, January 16-21, 2004.
  The World Social Forum 2004 was held in Mumbai, India on January 16-21, 2004. About 75,000 people from across the world came together to discuss strategies to build a more just, people-centred world order. The WSF website contains a listing of Forum workshops. One such workshop called "ICT's - Another World is Happening" examined effectiveness of information and communication technology towards development goals.
• The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), Geneva, December 10-12, 2003.
  The first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society took place in Geneva from the 10th to 12th of December 2003. The Summit addressed a broad range of themes concerning the Information Society.  Representatives adopted a Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action involving issues related to the Information Society. The second phase will take place in Tunis hosted by the Government of Tunisia, from the 16th to 18th of November 2005. Live video and audio web coverage of the Geneva Summit plenary, roundtables and press conferences can be accessed here.
• World Forum on Communication Rights, Geneva, December 11, 2003.
  The World Forum on Communication Rights is an independent civil-society led initiative, open to all seeking democratic, just and participative media and communication. The Forum brought together civil society organisations, NGOs, governments and others in a civil society-driven event to be held alongside the Summit, not in opposition to it, but to highlight and make practical progress in spheres the Summit fails to cover. Initiated by the Communication Rights in the Information Society campaign (CRIS), it is led by a coalition of international NGOs. The programme is available online in English, French and Spanish. Online participation was available for the Forum by registering at the Forum Registration site.
• ICANN Meetings, Carthage, Tunisia, October 27-31, 2003.
  ICANN held its third round of 2003 public meetings in Tunisia to discuss international Internet governance. Anyone was free to attend the meetings via in person attendance, webcast and remote participation opportunities, and/or by joining one of the various ICANN-related mailing lists. Among the issues discussed were the WHOIS database and Wildcard DNS. For more information, see ICANN's Carthage Web site and EPIC's page on the WHOIS database.
• OECD Security Guidelines Workshop, Oslo, October 13-16, 2003.
  A total of 200 participants attended the OECD Security Guidelines Workshop, from government and business organisations from OECD member countries and Non-member economies, and APEC member countries, business and civil society organisations. The workshop highlighted the importance of information security and secure infrastructures, focusing on the OECD Security Guidelines and discussing methods of successful application. Participants explored policy frameworks for the security of information systems, the use of technology and security standards to increase the security of such systems, and the development of improved security architectures.
• Human Rights Caucus Releases Reports, Geneva, September 19, 2003.
  The Human Rights Caucus of the World Summit on the Information Society launched three new publications: Privacy and Human Rights, (EPIC and Privacy International), Human Rights in the Information Society (Deborah Hurley and Rights and Democracy), and A Global Report on Censorship, Surveillance and Control of the Internet (Privacy International and GreenNet). Special guests included Bertrand Ramcharan, Acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Adama Samassekou, President of the WSIS Preparatory Committee.
• 25th International Conference of the Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners Sydney, Australia, Sept. 10-12, 2003.
  The theme of this year's Conference was "Practical Privacy for People, Government and Business." The conference explored advances in privacy and sought to build platforms and solutions that enhance the privacy choices of all citizens. It provided an opportunity for Commissioners to engage in private discussions as well as interact with delegates and speakers from the government, business, and civil society.
• UNESCO World Press Freedom Day, Jamaica, May 2-3, 2003.
  UNESCO held a two-day conference titled "Freedom of Expression: Early New Millennium Challenges" in Kingston, Jamaica. The conference was held in conjunction with the celebration of World Press Freedom Day. The Public Voice made a presentation on a panel called "Freedom of Expression in Knowledge Societies: Opportunities" that discussed developing participative democracy and promoting world civil society. The presentation advocated that new communication technologies, which emphasize peer-to-peer production and distribution of ideas, must be afforded the same protections by governments that were granted to the press and broadcast mediums. For more information see the Public Voice presentation and the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day 2003 conference website.
• 13th Annual Computers, Freedom, and Privacy Conference, New York City, April 2-4, 2003.
  CFP2003 explores the most important issues facing the Internet and freedom, including: consumer privacy, broadband issues, wireless privacy and security, digital divide, critical infrastructure issues, public records, filtering, ICANN, disabilities access and much more. The Conference is subtitled "Freedom to Move, Think, and Speak!" The Public Voice donated resources to enable participation by underrepresented civil society groups.
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: Conference on "The Public Voice in the Digital Economy", Honolulu, Hawaii, January 14-17, 2003.
  The Public Voice met in conjunction with the OECD-APEC Global Forum on Policy Frameworks for the Digital Economy and a WSIS Preparatory meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, January 14-17. The Public Voice conference explored "Security and Trust in Ecommerce" and "Participation and Inclusion in the Information Society."
• UNESCO Forum on Freedom of Expression in the Information Society, Paris, November 15-16, 2002.
  As part of the continuing preparations for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has launched a moderated discussion forum on Freedom of Expression in the Information Society. The contents of the forum will be compiled in a report and presented at a symposium being hosted by the French national Commission for UNESCO on November 15-16, in Paris. For more information on UNESCO's work on information society issues visit the World Observatory.
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: The Public Voice in Internet Policymaking, Washington, DC, June 22, 2002.
  Discussion on the future rights and freedoms of the public in the information age. Topics included ICANN reform and Internet governance; the civil liberties implications of recently passed Terrorism and Cybercrime measures; and the future of the Public Domain in a world of increased intellectual property laws, Internet commercialization and media consolidation. Held in conjunction with the Internet Society 8th Annual Meeting.
• "Public Voice in Emerging Market Economies" Dubai, United Arab Emirates, January 15, 2001.
  Exploration of consumer, labor and civil liberties issues in the context of electronic commerce and emerging market economies. Held in conjunction with the OECD Emerging Market Economy Conference.
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: "Public Voice in Privacy Policy" Venice, Italy, September 27, 2000.
  Academics, NGO advocates and privacy experts discussed the Globalization of Surveillance, Privacy and Copyright, Assessment of Safe Harbor, and an International Convention on Privacy. Meeting held in conjunction with the 22nd International Conference on Privacy and Personal Data Protection. Webcast of conference.
• "Forum on Civil Society and ICANN Elections" Yokohama, Japan, July 13, 2000.
  Co-organized by the Internet Democracy Project and Non-Commercial Constituency of the ICANN DNSO.
• "The Internet and Governance", Cambridge, Massachusetts, May 30, 2000.
  Panel discussions on the roles of the public sector, international organizations, and NGOs in the formation of Internet policy. Sponsored by the Kennedy School of Government.
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: "The Public Voice in Electronic Commerce", Paris, October 11, 1999.
  The conference brought together more than 160 international representatives from the OECD, consumer, labor and civil liberties groups to discuss and present the interests of civil society in the future of E-commerce. The conference program. A brief overview of the panels. News coverage of the conference. The speech of Philip Jennings, General Secretary of the International Federation of Commercial, Clerical, Professional and Technical Employees (FIET).
• "Computers, Freedom and Privacy: The Global Internet" Washington, DC, April 6-8, 1999.
  More than 500 people from 20 countries participated in the ninth annual conference on Computers, Freedom and Privacy.
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: "The Public Voice in the Development of Internet Policy", Ottawa, Canada, October 7, 1998.
  Panel discussions on Consumer Protection and Electronic Commerce, Speech Online and Access, Privacy and Encryption Online, and Human Rights in the 21st Century. Featured speakers: Canadian Minister of Industry John Manley, McGill Provost David Johnston, and Hong Kong Privacy Commissioner Stephen Lau. Sponsored by the Global Internet Liberty Campaign (GILC).
• PUBLIC VOICE EVENT: "The Public Voice and the Development of International Encryption Policy" Paris, September 25, 1996.
  A briefing to the members of the OECD experts group on cryptography on the human rights, technical and legal implications of cryptography. Sponsored by EPIC, Planete Internet and GILC.