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Assessing the World Summit |
Thank you...Sherrie...for that most kind introduction. As University Librarian at Arizona State...Sherri Schmidt is widely recognized as an extraordinary library leader...a reputation that is well deserved. I especially appreciate her commitment to her professional association...the Association of Research Librarians, where she has worked with a talented staff to move the library agenda forward on many fronts.
I am very pleased to be with you today at FORO 2007. While this is my first time at your meeting...I feel right at home because a number of SLA members have been long-time participants in FORO events. Thank you for inviting me.
I appreciate this opportunity to talk with you about my thoughts concerning the United Nations'-sponsored discussions on the future development and governance of the Internet.
As a member of the U.S. delegation to the World Summit on the Information Society...also knows as WSIS... in 2005 and a participant in the Internet Governance Forum under the UN's auspices last year...I strongly believe that the Internet has the capacity to transform and elevate women and men around the world in ways we have only begun to imagine. But...like the promise of space or undersea exploration...the Internet's potential also depends upon our access to it and...ultimately...our stewardship of it.
Before I begin to discuss where we are and where we are headed with regard to Internet governance... I would like to tell you a little about the Special Libraries Association and the role it plays in today's information society. With members in more than 75 countries...SLA is truly international in scope.
As many of you know...SLA is a nonprofit global organization for innovative library and information professionals and their strategic partners. SLA serves more than 11,500 members in the information profession, including corporate, academic, and government librarians and information specialists. Our Association seeks to promote and strengthen our members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives.
SLA also plays an active role in supporting libraries in developing countries...in training librarians and information professionals throughout the world. I'm proud to say that after the devastating tsunami in Southern Asia two years ago...the SLA Board of Directors formed a task force on natural disasters. It is called IPANDA...the Information Professional Alliance on Natural Disasters and Accidents. The goal of the task force is to connect the SLA community in times of emergencies and help fellow librarians and information professionals recover from their losses.
With investments of time, personnel and money for activities around the globe reflecting our values and concerns....SLA is committed to playing a leading role in ensuring the widest possible access to information in both the brick-and-mortar world...and over the Internet. And it is this philosophy that drove my involvement... and the involvement of SLA... in the World Summit on the Information Society. Among the principal goals of WSIS was to bridge the digital divide that separates rich countries from poor ones by improving access to the Internet in developing nations.
The digital revolution has fundamentally changed the way people think, behave, communicate, work and earn their livelihood. It has forged new ways to create knowledge, educate people and disseminate information. It has changed the way much of the world does business and the way many governments operate. And it has made personal and political speech much easier and much more democratic. It has provided for the speedy delivery of humanitarian aid and healthcare, and has led to a heightened awareness of the need for environmental protection. It has even provided us with new avenues for entertainment and leisure.
In today's world... access to information and knowledge is virtually a prerequisite for economic vitality and growth...and has the proven capacity to raise the living standards of millions of people throughout the world. While the digital revolution may have extended the frontiers of the global village... paradoxically...the vast majority of the world's inhabitants remain isolated from its benefits. As this gap between those with knowledge and those who seek it widens... so too does the gap between rich and poor nations.
Recognizing this growing disparity between rich and poor...the International Telecommunication Union ...a United Nations' organization devoted to advancing the development of international communications technologies...decided in 2001 to hold a World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and place it on the agenda of the United Nations.
WSIS actually represents a new approach by the United Nations to addressing complex international issues by involving stakeholders at all levels and not just government diplomats. And...I think we'll see more of this model in the future....gatherings of all parties interested in making progress on specific issues....sessions where government, industry, NGO's, members of civil society and academia can have a voice and play an active role in exploring solutions to difficult problems.
It was determined the Summit would be held in two phases. Phase One would take place in Geneva in 2003...and Phase Two would be held in Tunis in 2005.
The objective of the first phase in Geneva was to develop and foster a clear statement of political will among numerous stakeholders and to take the first concrete steps toward creating a truly global Information Society.
More than eleven thousand participants from 175 countries attended the Summit. These participants included nearly 50 heads of state and 82 ministers...as well as high-level representatives from non-government organizations, corporations... such as Microsoft, AT&T and Sun Microsystems...and from civil society... which is made up of voluntary civic and social organizations and institutions such as SLA.
When it was over...delegates had approved the Geneva Declaration of Principles and Geneva Plan of Action which set in motion a process for pursuing agreements on Internet governance and financing...and following-up on and implementing the Geneva accord. As a result...a second Summit was scheduled for Tunis in 2005.
Though the process of international dialogue often appears to occur without significant controversy... the truth is...something often happens to threaten the outcome of negotiations. The WSIS process proved to be no different. In the period following the first phase in Geneva...several Preparatory Committee...PrepComm...meetings were held in order to discuss ways to streamline the proceedings during the upcoming Tunis phase.
A few weeks before the Tunis Summit, however, several nations including members of the European Union began calling for a shift in the way the Internet is governed. While we currently enjoy a fairly devolved structure of governance that allows for innovation and creativity to occur organically, these nations wanted to place control of the Internet in an institution managed by all nations. This was...no doubt...a lofty goal but one which I believe is fraught with peril.
I know the Internet and the information it provides are imperative to all of us in this room. I also believe that creating a bureaucracy to govern the Internet would have a profoundly chilling effect on the future of this technological wonder that has grown with a minimum of government interference.
Given the overwhelming desire among most nations, NGO's, and the private sector to lower barriers to access in developing nations...the last thing we need in my view is a political and bureaucratic apparatus that could weigh down the most democratic and open communications system ever invented.
As a result of this new development... an additional series of PrepComm meetings were scheduled in Tunis for the three days prior to the opening of the second phase of the Summit.
At about this time...the U.S. State Department put out a call for people to serve as public members of its delegation in Tunis. The U.S. Library Copyright Alliance... which is comprised of SLA, ALA and three other U.S. library associations...recommended me to serve as its representative as a public member of the delegation. It was an honor to be selected by my colleagues in the library community and subsequently by the U.S. State Department to participate as a full member of the delegation.
My role was purely consultative, however, and I had no way of knowing whether my views would be solicited or even wanted. The rules dictated I could not negotiate or speak for the U.S. government, but I could advise and hopefully influence the negotiators. I am very pleased to report that the U.S. negotiators were...in fact...very open to my suggestions and comments.
So after becoming a member of the delegation at the 11th hour...I made quick plans to arrive in Tunis as soon as I could which was on the evening of the first day of PrepComm meetings. Unfortunately, the first thing I noticed was that the Exposition Hall...where the Summit was taking place...was still in the final stages of construction. It seems the Tunisian government had anticipated having a few more days to complete the work.
With the last-minute scheduling of the PrepComm meetings...the hard-working people of Tunisia were placed in the unenviable position of hosting a major international event prior to completion of the facility. As a result, those of us in attendance had little access to food, only a handful of soda vending machines and a VERY crowded, hot room with no ventilation!
Of course, the primary topic of debate among the delegates attending the PrepComm meetings was the future of Internet governance.
As many of you know...the United States is currently home to the Internet and ICANN...the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. As it turned out...many nations perceive these naming and numbering activities as tantamount to controlling the Internet. Yet the dominant influences on the growth and development of the Internet are the private sector and academic innovators. Though its record isn't perfect...the U.S. government has done little to impede the progress of the Internet's growth.
Despite that...a number of nations saw WSIS as an opportunity to wrest control of a resource that SLA and many others believe should remain free from any government or political influence and bungling bureaucracies. Still...some countries wanted to "move" the Internet and its naming system to a UN organization or a new "forum" that would administer it. These countries knew they would have to make their case at the PrepComm.
The U.S. delegation...along with a number of other delegations...recognized the importance of giving all peoples of the world a voice in the future of the Internet, but also believed in an old saying you may have heard, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The U.S. delegation...in my opinion...was very persuasive and did an excellent job of addressing the needs of the developing countries while resisting calls from those who wanted to impose a more structured governance structure on Internet operations.
The PrepComm lasted three very long and very hot days. There were pointed comments and dozens of private meetings among the delegates. Each paragraph of each outcome was discussed and amended until agreed upon. Work was finally completed after 11:00 PM on the third day...the eve of the full Summit.
The restaurants and tea rooms of Tunis were busy that night...filled with delegations from around the world celebrating the successful conclusion of the negotiations. After that...the Summit itself was mostly a formality...as most of the more serious issues had been resolved during the PrepComm.
There were eight plenary sessions and a number of workshops...from morning until night...over three days where the views of delegations ...NGO's... and civil society representatives were discussed and formal agreements reached. The outcomes are contained in the Tunis Commitment and Tunis Agenda for the Information Society adopted on November 18, 2005.
Among its provisions was language recommended by the U.S. delegation on very important matters to all of us...freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and the free flow of information. I am proud of the fact I had a voice in shaping this language.
I felt this proposal was particularly important for the global community of librarians and information professionals because many governments to this day seek to be the sole source of information for their citizens. SLA members rely on the Internet as a source of critical information for decision-makers at the highest levels of government and non-profits... as well as in the executive suites of the world's most successful and powerful corporations. Without access to current, reliable and uncensored online information...they would be very much like carpenters without nails.
It is important to remember that authoritarian regimes that attempt to control the information their citizens see, read or hear are not the only impediments to free and open access to information. As I've already mentioned, Internet access is extremely limited in many countries due to the lack of a technology infrastructure. This makes it virtually impossible for large numbers of citizens to access the extraordinary wealth of information and data to be found online.
And then there's the thorny issue of intellectual property rights and international copyright law that looms over the Internet like a digital sword of Damocles. I'll say more about this issue shortly.
Whatever the cause...impediments to the free access of data and information have profound impacts on both the human spirit and on the evolution of people's abilities to solve their problems through reason and innovation.
As I look back at the Summit in Tunis...perhaps the single most important outcome was an agreement to create an Internet Governance Forum allowing all stakeholders to gather and discuss overarching issues surrounding the Internet. This new body...which will meet once a year through the year 2010... will not be involved in domain naming or day-to-day technological and administrative issues. It will...however...give all nations and stakeholders, an opportunity to voice issues of concern without interfering in a system that, for the most part, works well. This collaborative, inclusive approach is crucial to the future of global information sharing and advancement.
The first meeting of the IGF took place in Athens at the end of last year and focused on four broad themes. These themes included:
- Openness...including freedom of expression, free flow of information, ideas and knowledge;
- Security defined as creating trust and confidence through collaboration;
- Diversity which promotes multilingualism and local content; and
- Access...which addresses Internet Connectivity with regard to policy AND cost.
The debate at the conference was both spirited and constructive. The issues were complex and far-reaching. But I would like to address further the important issue of unfettered access to information. SLA firmly believes the Internet and its underlying technologies must remain open and transparent to ensure the free flow of uncensored information and ideas.
It is only through this free flow and transparency of information that accurate corporate, organizational, and government decision-making can occur. This is the foundation of a robust global economy which provides opportunities for all, especially for those in developing countries. Information knows no natural or political boundaries and...with the rapid improvements in technology... will continue to be increasingly available despite the best efforts of content controllers who wish to restrict information for their own political or commercial reasons.
Most of us would probably agree that content providers deserve a system that delivers appropriate rewards for their intellectual property and motivates them and others to provide more. But I think we would also agree that our global society needs timely and affordable access to the best thinking of our best minds in order to address the most pressing issues of human health and welfare.
Information must not only benefit content controllers and the owners of intellectual property...it must serve the human needs of the billions who...as former U.S. President John Kennedy described it..."inhabit this small planet."
I believe this is one of the moral imperatives of our time...and history will judge us on our ability to accommodate the competing interests of artists... intellectuals...and entrepreneurs...with the needs of all global citizens. I am sure we will see a great deal of debate... negotiation...and compromise on this issue in the years to come.
But even after the global information economy has accommodated different rules, guidelines and legislation for efficient operation.... it will likely continue to be the focus of intense legislative debate and costly, time-consuming international litigation. And as I said before...balancing the needs of individuals with the needs of a growing information society will become paramount.
That is one of the reasons I would like my colleagues at upcoming IGF meetings to consider a set of goals developed by the Library Copyright Alliance.
The Alliance...as I mentioned earlier...monitors and advocates for the fair use and application of copyright laws....proposed these goals for the International Development Agenda of the World Intellectual Property Organization. The goals set a clear path for advancing libraries and information centers as major sources of information in the global information age.
The first goal focuses on a robust and growing public domain providing new opportunities for creativity, research, and scholarship. It addresses public access to works created by governmental authorities...access to published works with regard to government-funded research...not subjecting copyright-like protections to facts and other public domain materials. .
The second goal looks to effective library programs and services as a means for advancing knowledge. This goal speaks to the copying and migration of content into new formats for the purpose of preservation, lending, network availability, conversion of material for persons with disabilities and copying of materials still in copyright.
The third goal encourages high levels of creativity and technological progress resulting from individual research and study. This addresses copyright laws so as not to inhibit the development of technology... the permitting of copying by individuals for personal research and study... and technology circumvention exceptions.
And the fourth goal deals with harmonization of copyright. This goal recommends refraining from the overriding of established copyright practices with other bi-lateral or multi-lateral agreements; and stresses that goals and policies agreed upon are important statements of national and international principle and should not be varied by contract.
These principles not only set a tone for the advancement of libraries...they provide considerable wisdom about ways to address the growing intellectual property debate. Again...I think this is something the IGF should take a close look at.
So where is the debate about Internet governance headed next in the international diplomatic arena? A recent IGF Stock-taking Session held in Geneva may give us some clues. The purpose of the meeting was to assess what worked well at the first IGF meeting in Athens...and what should be changed for the upcoming meeting in Rio de Janeiro next November.
By and large...attendees were pleased with the innovative character of the IGF and with the need for a preparatory process in advance of the meeting. Some...however...felt the selection process and operation of the Advisory Group could have been more transparent. There was general approval of the meeting format which participants said created a useful and beneficial space for dialogue among all stakeholders. Participants liked the focus on the specific themes I mentioned earlier and the use of professional moderators to help keep debate flowing... thus ensuring that all points of view were aired.
The use of multi-stakeholder workshops also was praised... as was the concept of Dynamic Coalitions which came out of them. Dynamic Coalitions are defined as thematic networks that can help facilitate discussion between groups dealing with issues cutting across multiple subjects and can help identify emerging issues and activities for addressing them.
I am currently a member of two Dynamic Coalitions coming out of Athens...IP and Open Access.
One of the biggest concerns of attendees was the limited participation in the IGF by representatives from developing countries. In addition to discussion of ways to expand remote participation in the IGF...there was talk of the need for donor nations and those in the private sector to do more to encourage the participation of those who lack financial resources to attend.
Perhaps the discussion of greatest significance at the Stock-taking Session had to do with the future of the IGF itself. A number of participants indicated the IGF should do more than merely solicit stakeholder views and educate the public. Clearly there is pressure to expand the role of the IGF and allow it to provide formal policy recommendations for future consideration. I think it is fair to say these pressures are likely to increase with time.
Also...as a result of the creation of the IGF... several UN organizations are now seeking some level of control over the subject of Internet governance and other outcomes of WSIS. So, instead of focusing our attention on one entity in WSIS... as we have over the past few years...stakeholders...those of us this room...must carefully monitor a multi-headed hydra of organizations that could alter the scope of Internet governance very easily.
Besides paying close attention to the IGF...we must keep an eye on the International Telecommunications Union...which would like to lead on some of these issues... and track the actions of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization...UNESCO...which also will have a piece of the action. We can't do this alone. We need your help. I urge all of you to become participants or at least active observers of this developing international issue. At stake is the future of the Internet...YOUR Internet... OUR Internet...and its potential as the most significant medium for change since the invention of the printing press.
Make no mistake about it...though. Some determined politicians and global economic powers will continue to do all they can to limit broad access to and use of information. Never forget the adage..."Information is power." And by supporting a strong international commitment to unfettered access to information and to transparency on a global scale...we will ultimately benefit all the people on the planet.
By getting involved with your peers in this issue...either directly through SLA...other professional organizations...or your government...you will not only have a front-row seat for one of the most significant debates of our lifetime and beyond...you could have direct and important influence on your profession and those you serve.
Thank you very much.
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