Update on Internet Society Public Policy Activities Michael
Update on Internet Society Public Policy Activities Michael R. Nelson Vice President, Policy, Internet Society, and Director, Internet Technology and Strategy, IBM MNELSON@ISOC. ORG
My background • • B. S. , geology, Caltech Ph. D. , geophysics, MIT 1988 -- Congressional Science Fellow 4 years as Senator Gore's science advisor 4 years as IT policy wonk at White House 1997 -1998 -- Technologist at FCC 6 years with IBM’s Internet Tech Team
ISOC’s impact • Education – Internet pioneers – General public • IETF • Advice to policy makers
So many issues. . • How to focus? • Play to our strengths: – Access to Internet technical leaders – Understanding of IETF standards – Global perspective – Knowledge of new technologies – Connections, especially in developing world • Focus on technology not law or economics
High-level goals Ensuring: • Ability to Connect => preserve end-to-end • Ability to Speak => oppose censorship • Ability to Innovate => open standards • Ability to Share => ensure fair use • Ability to Choose => foster competition
ISOC initiatives Ability to Connect • Accessibility for the Disabled • Opposition to Panama's restrictions on Voice over IP Ability to Speak • Opposition to censorship • Opposition to provisions requiring ISP to retain user data in Council of Europe Cyber-crime treaty Ability to Innovate • Promotion of IPv 6 • Promotion of new wireless technologies (e. g. 802. 11) • Opposition to encryption controls Ability to Share • Opposition to legislation dictating DRM standards • Opposition to new database protection legislation Ability to Choose • Digital Divide (competition drives down prices)
Why this matters • It’s good for the Internet – Connects the unconnected – Lowers prices – Fosters innovation, new uses – Online education, government, health, etc.
Guiding “bumper stickers” • • Old code (law) and new code (standards) Focus on what we can do best Educator not lobbyist The Internet is too important to be left only to telecom ministers • There’s strength in numbers • No one likes a failing grade • Partner, partner
Tactics Direct: Letters to governments, ITU, EC, etc. Chapters briefing policy makers Indirect White Papers (www. isoc. org/news) Conferences (e. g. www. inet 2004. org) Workshops, etc. Press briefings ISOC Web site and Internet policy portal Teaming with advocacy groups
Drivers of cyberpolicy • • • Privacy Piracy Pornography (and spam) Protection Pricing Policing (fraud, consumer protection) Psychology Procurement Payments and Taxation Protectionism
National governments struggling • How can national laws control a global media? (e. g. China) • The Internet routes around constraints • Technology evolving rapidly • The Internet and e-business impacts almost every agency
Critical technology choices • • • Authentication and directories Privacy-enhancing technologies (P 3 P) Digital Rights Management Filtering technologies to block spam, porn Voice over IP Wireless Internet standards Web services and Grid computing Instant messaging IPv 6 deployment Linking the phone network and the Internet Rich media standards (SIP, multicast, etc. ) End-to-end vs. walled gardens
Tech answers to policy problems • • • Privacy Piracy Pornography Protection Pricing Policing Psychology Procurement Payments Protectionism P 3 P, etc. DRM Filtering technologies Authentication Grid standards Wireless Internet Phone-Net merger Voice over IP
Who “manages” the Internet? • World Summit on the Information Society • Governments realizing the power of Net – Media – E-business – Threat to monopoly phone company (Vo. IP) – Political speech • So they want to regulate or control it • “Internet governance”
“Mail governance” (1950): Who made choices about postal service? Universal Postal Union Hundreds of governments and the post offices they ran (customers)
“Phone governance” (1970): Who made choices about phone service? International Telecommunication Union Hundreds of governments Hundreds of governmentrun telephone companies (“subscribers”)
of Int Th er ne ous ne tw an tu or ds kp o se ro f IT Hu rs vid v nd er en re s, do an ds IS rs d n of Ps , ati go … on ve al rnm co ns ents or tia ns Mi llio Who makes choices about the Net? Dozens of intergovernmental organizations, standards bodies, and international NGOs
What is shaping the Net? Internet Standards Allocation of Internet resources Government Policy and Regulation
Locus of Decision-making International Spectrum policy Internet standards Regional DNS IP addresses National Spam Company/Local Trade policy Cyber-crime Development aid Online taxes Censorship Telecom regulation E-government Cyber-security On-line privacy Individual No government All government Degree of government involvement
Locus of Decision-making (Many different decisions in many different places) International Regional National Spam Company/Local Individual No government All government Degree of government involvement
Locus of Decision-making Where “Internet governance” is needed International Spectrum policy Internet standards Regional National Company/Local DNS IP addresses Spam Trade policy Cyber-crime Development aid Online taxes Censorship Telecom regulation E-government Cyber-security On-line privacy Individual No government All government Degree of government involvement
Key organizations shaping the Net Internet Standards IETF W 3 C IEEE ITU-T Allocation of Internet resources ICANN RIRs registries WTO National governments UN agencies Government Policy and Regulation EU OECD
Key decisions shaping the Net Antitrust policy Trademark & copyright law E-government services Spectrum policy Government censorship Telecom regulation Privacy regulations Research funding E-commerce laws Computer crime Wiretapping rules WTO National governments UN agencies EU Government Policy and Regulation (mostly national) OECD
Key decisions shaping the Net Internet Standards (global) Standards can affect: Anonymity Privacy protection Ability to wiretap Ability to filter content How spectrum is used IETF W 3 C IEEE ITU-T
Key decisions shaping the Net Internet Standards can affect: Anonymity Privacy protection Ability to wiretap Ability to filter content How spectrum is used Governments can and do influence some key standards (as a user, through legislation, regulation, procurement) IETF W 3 C IEEE ITU-T
Key decisions shaping the Net Allocation of Internet resources (global/regional) ICANN RIRs registries Allocates g. TLDs Allocates IP addresses Determines traceability of domain name holders (WHOIS) Resolves trademark disputes
Key decisions shaping the Net Governments influence through: trademark law, antitrust law, ownership of cc. TLD registries, etc. Allocation of Internet resources ICANN RIRs registries Allocates g. TLDs Allocates IP addresses Determines traceability of domain name holders (WHOIS) Resolves trademark disputes GAC WIPO
Where global coordination is needed • Standards for global Internet • Allocation of Internet resources (IP addresses, domain names) that must work anywhere • Coordination of law enforcement activities (e. g. to fight hackers) • Mutual recognition of digital identities • Guidelines for cyber-security • Assistance to less developed countries (funding, training, and information) • Fair procurement and trade rules • Intellectual property protection
Layers of the Information Society Education and training Software, e-business, and content Computer hardware Internet Telecommunications networks Rule of Law (contracts, anti-corruption, etc. )
Thanks Michael R. Nelson Vice President, Policy, Internet Society Washington, DC MNELSON@ISOC. ORG 202 -515 -5137
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