Event description
The briefing will be delivered by the Head of the Geneva Internet Platform and Director of DiploFoundation, Dr Jovan Kurbalija, and will tackle the most important developments in digital policy of relevance to the UN-NY agenda for the coming year. The event is co-organised by DiploFoundation and the Geneva Internet Platform, with the co-operation of the Permanent Missions of Switzerland and Malta to the UN in New York.
The briefing will focus on issues such as cybersecurity, cyber geopolitics, digital rights, digital commerce and Internet economy. The UN’s vision and response to the rapid technological developments will be addressed by a special guest, Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination in the Executive Office of the UN, Mr Fabrizio Hochschild. Notably, the links between the digital agenda covered at the UN in New York, and the UN in Geneva, will be addressed.
This event is for permanent representatives only. For more information and registration, please contact Tereza Horejsova at terezah@diplomacy.edu or at +1-202-413-9233.
Background information:
This is the second briefing in a series on current trends in the digital policy & the interplay between New York and Geneva, summing up the developments of 2017 and looking into what 2018 may bring. The top trending issues of 2017 shaping digital policy – the emergence of digital realpolitik; the reconciliation of local impact caused by global Internet policies; the broadening of the digital policy agenda; and the significance of how court judgements will be presentedin the light of constructive solutions for 2018.
The positions in digital policy are now more clearly defined than a few years ago, when digital ideologies focused only on blue-sky thinking and an ‘unstoppable march into a bright digital future’. A clear delineation of the interests of all actors, a healthy interdependence, and complementarity between the actors is a good basis for negotiations, compromise, and ideally, consensus, on how the Internet should further develop as a technological enabler of a stable and prosperous society.
The diversity of the Internet is reflected in the diversity of interests and, ultimately, negotiating positions in digital geopolitics. This variable geometry in the positions of the main actors in digital policy could create more space for potential trade-offs and compromise.
The 2018 forecast of the 10 main digital policy developments is set against this broad backdrop that makes progress and retreat equally possible.
Additional resources:
● A Tipping Point for the Internet – Predictions for 2018
● The GIP Digital Watch online observatory – https://dig.watch/
● The final report from the 2017 Internet Governance Forum – https://dig.watch/sites/default/files/IGF2017Report.pdf
● DiploFoundation – www.diplomacy.edu
● Geneva Internet Platform – www.giplatform.org
