WSIS Tunis weblog

(Tunis, November 14, 2005) – Today as a global summit on the Internet got underway, the Tunisian government did all it could to smother a local summit on the same topic. One might think that a world conference on improving global Internet access represents a prime chance for the government to reverse its reputation for intolerance of dissent, but the day’s events proved it to be an opportunity missed. More from Human Rights Watch.

In Tunis, internet governance rhymes with state control

By APCNews writing from Tunisia

Today, the website of the Citizens' Summit on the Information Society
(CSIS) was effectively off-line for all web users in Tunisia. It appears
that Tunisian authorities have started to intensify their crackdown on
legitimate initiatives related to the World Summit on the information
Society (WSIS). Blocking the access to the www.citizens-summit.org is
the latest in a series of measures introduced to silence voices critical
of the government and its human right record. Read more

Clark Boyd, BBC Technology correspondent in Tunis

This week, the North African nation of Tunisia hosts a UN summit on the internet. One big item on the agenda will be how to ensure freedom of expression online. But Tunisia's own record of censorship has led some critics to question its suitability to host such an event. Read more.

Segun Oruame reflects on the issue of the day: internet governance

Márcia Detoni talks about the importance of media plurality in Brazil

Rene Bartolo takes a light-hearted look at the Filipino texting phenomenon

Under the incredulous eyes of the participants at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), journalists and human rights defenders were manhandled, insulted, and then violently beaten. Read more

see the CRIS site here

WSIS WIRE is an independent news service offering an updated survey of
news and blog posts concerning the World Summit on the Information
Society. The survey is categorized by language (English, French,
German), topic, region and publication type.

The second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society is
approaching and the need of being updated on the current events is
evident. WSIS WIRE appeals to all interested in the WSIS process and
especially to those taking part in it.

Whether you want to be updated on the latest WSIS news or need some
earlier articles for research works - WSIS WIRE is a convenient service
to find the desired information.

You're welcome to visit the site and get the latest news on the WSIS at:

http://www.wsis-wire.net

At the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), governments, journalists and activists are gearing up to battle over key decisions that will determine the shape of the global information society for years to come.

Leading international media NGO, Panos London, is running several activities in the run up to and during the Summit that may be of interest to journalists writing on information society topics:

i-Witness: www.panos.org.uk/iwitness

Panos London has recently launched a new website for journalists worldwide looking for free, up-to-date resources, news, experts to interview and debate on the information society. The website aims to help journalists worldwide get to grips with many controversial but often under-reported information society topics - from bridging the digital divide to controlling the internet.

Journalist Blog from the Summit: www.panos.org.uk/iwitness/blog

Panos London is also working with a team of developing-country journalists at the Summit where they will be filing stories for their own national newspapers and giving more personal insights on a blog on the i-Witness website.

The APC team in WSIS are presenting these recommendations today until
Tuesday at the Resumed PrepCom in Tunisia which preceeds the UN World
Summit on the Information Society.

======================================================
APC's Recommendations to the WSIS on Internet Governance
(Nov 2005, APC)
=======================================================

APC has participated extensively in the internet governance process at
the World Summit on Information Society. Out of this participation and
in collaboration with other partners, including members of the WSIS
civil society internet governance caucus, APC has crystallized a set of
recommendations with regard to internet governance ahead of the final
Summit in Tunis in November 2005.

APC proposes specific actions in each of the following five areas:

1. The establishment of an Internet Governance Forum;

2. The transformation of ICANN into a global body with full authority
over DNS management, and an appropriate form of accountability to its
stakeholders in government, private sector and civil society;

3. The initiation of a multi-stakeholder convention on internet
governance and universal human rights that will codify the basic rights
applicable to the internet, which will be legally binding in
international law with particular emphasis on clauses in the universal
declaration of human rights specifically relevant to the internet, such
as rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and privacy.

4. Ensuring internet access is universal and affordable. The internet is
a global public space that should be open and accessible to all on a
non-discriminatory basis. The internet, therefore, must be seen as a
global public infrastructure. In this regard we recognize the internet
to be a global public good and access to it is in the public interest,
and must be provided as a public provision.

5. Measures to promote capacity building in developing countries with
regard to increasing developing country participation in global public
policy forums on internet governance.

APC's Recommendations to the WSIS on Internet Governance (English)
http://rights.apc.org/documents/apc_recommendations_ig_EN.pdf
Recomendaciones de APC para la CMSI sobre Gobernanza de internet (Spanish)
http://rights.apc.org/documents/apc_recommendations_ig_ES.pdf
French (Not yet active):
http://rights.apc.org/documents/apc_recommendations_ig_FR.pdf

Follow the process of the WSIS in Tunis from the official page:

http://www.itu.int/wsis/tunis/index.html