[liberationtech] Civil Society Statement on the "eG8"

Mon May 23 13:46:33 PDT 2011

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Thanks to all of you for rallying in support of the Civil Society the
Statement to the e-G8/G8. The final letter in English, French, and Spanish
are attached and the German version is available at
http://digitalegesellschaft.de/2011/05/erklarung-der-zivilgesellschaft-an-e-g8-und-g8/
.
Below is the current list of signatories (orgs can still sign before
Wednesday):

Access - www.accessnow.org <http://www.accessnow.org/>
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) -
www.apc.org<http://www.apc.org/>
Association pour la Taxation des Transactions financière et l'Aide aux
Citoyens (ATTAC) - www.attac.org <http://www.attac.org/>
Center for Internet and Society - www.cis-india.org/
Citizen Lab, Munk School of Government, University of Toronto -
www.citizenlab.org
Communication Is Your Right! –
www.communicationisyourright.org/<http://www.communicationisyourright.org/>
Digital Democracy - www.digital-democracy.org<http://www.digital-democracy.org/>
Digitale Gesellschaft –
www.digitalegesellschaft.de<http://www.digitalegesellschaft.de/>
Electronic Frontier Finland (Effi) - www.effi.org
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) - www.eff.org <http://www.eff.org/>
European Digital Rights (EDRi) -  <http://www.edri.org/>www.edri.org
Fédération SUD-PTT (syndicat poste et télécommunication) www.sudptt.org/
Fundacion Escuela Latinoamericana de Redes (EsLaRed) - www.eslared.org.ve/
The Guardian Project -
www.guardianproject.info<http://www.guardianproject.info/>
Instituto Nupef - www.nupef.org.br/
Internet Rights & Principles Coalition -
www.internetrightsandprinciples.org<http://www.internetrightsandprinciples.org/>
The Julia Group/Juliagruppen - www.juliagruppen.se<http://www.juliagruppen.se/>
La Quadrature du Net (LQDN) - www.laquadrature.net<http://www.laquadrature.net/>
May First/People Link - www.mayfirst.org <http://www.mayfirst.org/>
MobileActive.org - www.mobileactive.org <http://www.mobileactive.org/>
Movements.org - www.movements.org <http://www.movements.org/>
Net Users’ Rights Protection Association (NURPA) - www.nurpa.be/
Open Rights Group (ORG) -
www.openrightsgroup.org<http://www.openrightsgroup.org/>
Open Source Initiative (OSI) - www.opensource.org/
Panos London - www.panos.org.uk
Privacy International -
www.privacyinternational.org/<https://www.privacyinternational.org/>
Progressive Technology Project -- www.progressivetech.org/
The Public Sphere Project - www.publicsphereproject.org/
Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) - www.rsf.org <http://www.rsf.org/>
Tactical Tech - www.tacticaltech.org
WITNESS - www.witness.org <http://www.witness.org/>
WLAN Slovenia, Open Wireless Network -www.wlan-si.net/
Van Reepinghen & Simon - www.ip-web-law.com
VECAM -  <http://www.vecam.org/>www.vecam.org
Virtual Activism - www.virtualactivism.org
10 COM - www.10com.eu/

While the collection of organizations that has signed this letter is
powerful in its own right, we also wanted to give individuals an opportunity
to take action on this campaign, so we’ve setup a petition on our website
available at https://www.AccessNow.org/G8-Protect-the-Net<https://www.accessnow.org/G8-Protect-the-Net>
.
Please sign and forward on to your friends, family, and networks.

Thanks so much to everyone for all of your support.

Cheers,

Jochai

-- 

Jochai Ben-Avie
Access | Policy Analyst
https://www.AccessNow.org <https://www.accessnow.org/>
jochai at accessnow.org
+1-888-414-0100 x704 (tel)
JochaiBen-Avie (skype)

On Fri, May 20, 2011 at 5:52 PM, Jochai Ben-Avie <jochai at accessnow.org>wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
>
>
> Many of you may be aware that next week the G8 will be meeting in France.
> President Sarkozy – who holds the rotating G8 Presidency this year – has
> organized an “eG8” immediately before the G8summit, with a view to shaping
> the G8 agenda regarding key global internet policy issues. Indded, this is
> the first year that the internet’s role in society and the economy is
> explicitly on the G8 agenda.
>
>
>
> To express our concerns about this event a number of organizations have put
> together and signed a civil society statement *(full text below)* including
> Access, Reporters without Borders, EFF, Witness, Mobile Active, May
> First/People Link, The Guardian Project, Digital Democracy, ATTAC, LQDN,
> EDRi, APC, Movements.org and Open Rights Group.* *
>
>
>
> *Other organizations wish to sign? Please send me an email by this Monday,
> May 23rd. Full text of the letter is below and at:
> https://www.accessnow.org/Civil-Society-Statement-to-G8*
>
>
>
> If there are *individuals* who want to support efforts to influence the
> G8, please consider signing Access’ petition around this campaign:
> https://www.accessnow.org/g8-protect-the-net
>
>
>
> Thanks so much.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jochai
>
>
> --
>
> Jochai Ben-Avie
> Access | Policy Analyst
> https://www.AccessNow.org <https://www.accessnow.org/>
> jochai at accessnow.org
> +1-888-414-0100 x704 (tel)
> JochaiBen-Avie (skype)
>
>
>
> *DRAFT Civil Society Statement to the e-G8 and G8*
>
>
>
> The signatories of this statement are representatives of civil society from
> around the world working towards the promotion of Internet freedom, digital
> rights, and open communication.
>
>
>
> We understand that the French Presidency of the G8 is holding a G8 internet
> meeting -- the "e-G8 Forum" -- immediately before the G8 Summit in
> Deauville, with a view to shaping the agenda of the G8 Summit regarding key
> global internet policy issues. This meeting is significant in that this is
> the first year that the internet’s role in society and the economy is
> explicitly on the G8 agenda.
>
>
>
> As key world leaders, your policies have a major influence on internet
> policy globally. Regrettably, certain policies being implemented in the most
> developed economies are undermining the open and neutral internet -- the
> very qualities that represent the essence of its democratic and economic
> potential. We believe that G8 Member States should use the e-G8 meeting as
> an opportunity to publicly commit to expanding internet access for all,
> combating digital censorship and surveillance, limiting online intermediary
> liability, and upholding principles of net neutrality.
>
>
>
> *Internet Access for All*
>
> We are particularly concerned about the increasing trend of nations cutting
> off citizens’ access to the Internet and mobile networks in times of crisis,
> as Egypt, Libya, Iran, China, Nepal, and Burma have all done. In many if not
> all of these countries, we see how important access to the Internet is as a
> gateway to a plethora of others civil, political, and fundamental human
> rights.
>
>
>
> Many G8 countries are actively pursuing policies that would similarly seek
> to restrict and control access; these policies legitimize actions of
> repressive regimes and threaten the core of the internet economy. As many
> nations endeavor to improve basic and universal access, the increase of
> restrictive policies in both the developed and developing world is a
> regressive and deeply worrying trend.
>
>
>
> *Freedom from Online Censorship & Surveillance*
>
> Simultaneously, repressive regimes are harnessing the internet’s power for
> their own purposes, often with the help of multinational corporations based
> in G8 countries. We urge you to end the sale of these technologies both at
> home and abroad, and put an end to these gross invasions of user privacy and
> security.
>
>
>
> *Online Intermediary Liability and Intellectual Property*
>
> To defend freedom of speech online it is critical that we resist mounting
> pressure from the entertainment industry and other sectors to impose greater
> intermediary liability on online service providers for the actions of their
> users (e.g., HADOPI and ACTA).
>
>
>
> In this regard, we urge you to follow the example of the Brazilian
> government’s Principles for the Governance and Use of the Internet,
> specifically #7 which reads: “*All action taken against illicit activity
> on the network must be aimed at those directly responsible for such
> activities, and not at the means of access and transport, always upholding
> the fundamental principles of freedom, privacy and the respect for human
> rights.*”[1]<https://mail.google.com/a/accessnow.org/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4#1300f5c2b04a9be7__ftn1>
>
>
> * *
>
> *Net Neutrality*
>
> We further call on you to codify and commit your nations to protecting net
> neutrality -- the principle that all web traffic should be treated on an
> equitable basis no matter where it originated or the type of data being
> transmitted.
>
>
>
> These are some of the key Internet governance issues which we feel merit
> and require the attention of the G8. We also draw your attention to two
> comprehensive declarations of principles we believe should guide nation
> states in Internet governance:
>
>
>
> ●      The *10 Internet Rights and Principles *developed under the aegis
> of the Internet Rights and Principles Coalition[2]<https://mail.google.com/a/accessnow.org/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4#1300f5c2b04a9be7__ftn2>
> .
>
> ●      Assembly Declaration of the right of Communication, written at the
> World Social Forum 2011.[3]<https://mail.google.com/a/accessnow.org/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4#1300f5c2b04a9be7__ftn3>
>
>
>
> We would also like to highlight our concerns regarding the planning of the
> e-G8. We join our voices to the Internet Governance Caucus[4]<https://mail.google.com/a/accessnow.org/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4#1300f5c2b04a9be7__ftn4> which
> expresses our collective concern about the lack of representation of civil
> society at the e-G8 and G8 meetings this year.
>
>
>
> Contrary to current best practices in policymaking, the invite list has
> been limited primarily to representatives of government and corporate
> leaders, who already enjoy disproportionately large influence over Internet
> regulation. Specifically, we are deeply concerned that corporate interests
> will dominate discussions at the e-G8 and G8 summits; issues like strict
> intellectual property enforcement and increasing online intermediary
> liability seem likely to take primacy over citizen-centered policies like
> net neutrality, Free Software, and combating online censorship.
>
>
>
> As corporations pay $100,000 for seats at the e-G8 table, few
> representatives of civil society are present to advocate for the priorities
> of citizen-users of the world. We are at a critical point in the history of
> the Internet and the struggle for human rights. As the elected leadership of
> some of the world’s most powerful nations, we urge you to act now to uphold
> and defend the principles of digital rights and internet freedom, not just
> for your citizens, but for people all over the world.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  ------------------------------
>
> [1]<https://mail.google.com/a/accessnow.org/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4#1300f5c2b04a9be7__ftnref>The
> full document of which is available at: http<http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>
> :// <http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>www<http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>
> . <http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>cgi<http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>
> . <http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>br<http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>
> / <http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>english<http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>
> / <http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>
> regulations <http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>
> / <http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>resolution<http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>
> 2009-003. <http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>
> htm <http://www.cgi.br/english/regulations/resolution2009-003.htm>
>
> [2]<https://mail.google.com/a/accessnow.org/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4#1300f5c2b04a9be7__ftnref>The
> English version is available here: http<http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/397>
> :// <http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/397>
> internetrightsandprinciples<http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/397>
> . <http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/397>org<http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/397>
> / <http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/397>node<http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/397>
> /397 <http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/397> and in French
> here: http <http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/400>://<http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/400>
> internetrightsandprinciples<http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/400>
> . <http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/400>org<http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/400>
> / <http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/400>node<http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/400>
> /400 <http://internetrightsandprinciples.org/node/400>
>
> [3]<https://mail.google.com/a/accessnow.org/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4#1300f5c2b04a9be7__ftnref>
> http <http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>://<http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>
> fsm <http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>2011.<http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>
> org <http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>/<http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>
> en <http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>/<http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>
> the <http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>-<http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>
> right <http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>-<http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>
> to <http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>-<http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>
> inform <http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>-<http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>
> and <http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>-<http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>
> be <http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>-<http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>
> informed <http://fsm2011.org/en/the-right-to-inform-and-be-informed>
>
> [4]<https://mail.google.com/a/accessnow.org/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4#1300f5c2b04a9be7__ftnref>
>  http<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> ://<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> www<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> .<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> igcaucus<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> .<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> org<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> /<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> open<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> -<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> letter<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> -<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> president<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> -<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> sarkozy<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> -<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> eg<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> 8-<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> meeting<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> -<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
> plan<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.igcaucus.org%2Fopen-letter-president-sarkozy-eg8-meeting-plan&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_NWdpxyC8EnuAv8OcKb_SMy6Qlw>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

-- 

Jochai Ben-Avie
Access | Policy Analyst
https://www.AccessNow.org
jochai at accessnow.org
+1-888-414-0100 x704 (tel)
JochaiBen-Avie (skype)
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