Regional Preparatory Meeting of the IGF

Reflections and Conclusions

Alicia Richero, IDRC / Valeria Betancourt, APC

The most relevant reflections and conclusions reached by the four panels are presented below.

Panel 1: How to reach the next billion users?

This issue focuses on the problem of Internet access within the region. A diagnosis of asymmetries was presented which highlighted the fact that LAC is the region with the least degree of fairness in terms of technological infrastructure as well as in terms of education and income. For this reason, national strategies should aim at reducing infrastructure asymmetries, improving access to information, and enhancing the mechanisms that allow sharing and generating knowledge, by means of pragmatic solutions that are consistent with the current situation in each sub-region and country.

Recommendations:

Expand network coverage for broadband Internet access. From the supply point of view, this involves providing universal opportunities through the adoption and adaptation of appropriate technologies, the use of mobile technologies, the use of other technologies such as radio and television for illiterate or functionally illiterate populations. From the industry point of view, promoting the convergence and provision of services for this type of populations.
At the same time, to promote a competitive scenario within a framework of legal security, as this will guarantee Internet access. To introduce the necessary modifications to the telecommunications regulations, considering technological convergence and Internet development and taking into consideration social development objectives.
To take advantage of the existing infrastructure in order to facilitate new connectivity.
To promote policies for community or collective Internet access.
From the demand point of view, the Internet must be relevant for users because, if not, users will not be interested in connecting to the Internet. Therefore, education is important for the social appropriation of ICTs, as is the production of quality content for education, innovation and even entertainment. Appropriation by sectors was considered essential (e.g. public health, agriculture −for instance livestock traceability−, etc.).
There is a notion that providing access is urgent, but this sense of urgency is partly due to the fact that a fraction of the world population takes it for granted that everyone is connected. When new electronic government projects are implemented, a need arises in relation to how citizens will connect to these projects. It will be necessary to establish attainable goals. The goal is not access in and of itself, neither is it connecting to the Internet for the sake of being connected. Instead, we need to ask ourselves why users should connect to the Internet. It is necessary to establish objectives in relation to Internet access and, if there is a strategic objective, to ensure that there are no public policies pointing in the opposite direction. Consequently, it is important that the objectives are reasonable. If the objective is to connect a billion users, then public policies must point in this direction.
Finally, if we consider the fact that every person has the right to information, then not only must there exist appropriate infrastructure, but also relevant content that is consistent with the needs of different users.

Conclusion:

Inclusive information societies demand the right to Internet access and the commitment of all stakeholders to work in cooperation with one another.

Panel 2: Promoting cyber security and trust

It would be important to set the LAC region’s position on the issue of cyber security. Some considerations that should be kept in mind in order to advance in this direction:

The issue of security is closely related to that of privacy.
In relation to privacy, it is important to consider that the issue has been mostly limited to enforcing the right to intimacy, honor and privacy of children and adolescents. In view of the existence of different risk groups such as that of workers, it is necessary to expand the group of vulnerable subjects.
Privacy is becoming a more serious concern as a result of the expansion of the Web 2.0 or distributed social networks that exhibit a growing level of vulnerability.
Another issue related both to cyber security as well as to the right to privacy is the fact that no legislation has yet been approved in the LAC region. Legislation on this matter is still in the process of being established, which considerably increases risk levels. Therefore, appropriate legislation and regulations are needed that are both feasible and applicable.
Another aspect that needs to be analyzed within the region is the key role that judges may assume in applying exemplary penalties that will regulate the problem. No legislation considers a definition of intimacy. Intimacy may be protected by judges. However, judges are lacking in technological experience and knowledge and, therefore, it is important to orient judges as to how to best carry out their task.
It was noted that the issue of privacy is closely related to that of human rights, and that it is necessary to broaden the focus of privacy, through research, to encompass that specific area.
From a more technological point of view, the complexity of the infrastructure involved creates a vulnerability that is not obvious to the common user. Different communities, such as that of network administrators, are responding with firewalls, antiviruses, etc., and awareness campaigns are being promoted. The importance of what is yet to be done in order to make cyber security more effective was highlighted, such as: creating awareness and training users in the adoption of security measures; strengthening security professionals so that they may respond to threats and are capable of finding collaborative solutions; promoting the demand for more secure software on the part of governments and society; demanding better practices from the industry in terms of security programs. From an industry point of view, it was noted that security has an impact on operational costs and that these costs must be reasonable so that networks can be maintained.

Conclusion:

The main solutions relating to the issue of security may be summarized in the following two:

Internet stability comes from the side of the demand and, therefore, training in best practices is needed.
Efforts in the area of security must be balanced with those oriented towards safeguarding privacy rights.

Panel 3: Critical Internet Resources

The region needs to position itself more strongly within the debates, exchanges and proposals relating to the issue. The main suggestions made during the discussion indicate that:

Internet governance mechanisms must be multistakeholder and that it is necessary to critically explore the potential for replicating global mechanisms in Latin America and the Caribbean in order to ensure balanced participation of all stakeholders, overcoming the multiple difficulties that hinder the involvement of different actors in our region, particularly because of a lack of information and resources.
More specifically, it is necessary to ensure that the countries of our region have greater space for participating within global and regional decision-making processes relating to Internet development.
It is necessary to strengthen collaboration efforts among all stakeholders and to generate more opportunities for sharing experiences and searching for common goals and definitions within the region in a coordinated manner, so that the measures and policies adopted in relation to Internet governance and the administration of critical resources will serve the public interest.
A central issue related to critical Internet resources is the transition from IPv4 to IPv6. Mention was made of the importance of providing incentives for ensuring that all countries have the opportunity to adopt the IPv6 protocol at public as well as at private level with the aim that all public services offered through the IP protocol, as appropriate, will be available over IPv6 and that the governments’ most relevant infrastructure and applications will be IPv6-compatible. For this it would be necessary to take measures that ensure that public calls for bids for the procurement of equipment and applications ensure their IPv6-compatibility. Likewise, the need to coordinate with the industry was also highlighted. The importance of considering system interoperability was named as a key factor. There was insistence on the fact that, during the transition period, promotion and training campaigns must be implemented to allow sharing experiences and government actions and those efforts should be redoubled in order to prepare plans of action for the transition.

Conclusion:

The issue of critical Internet resources is not limited to ICANN. The region must also approach various issues that are also relevant to orient the development of the Internet so that it is possible to connect those who have not yet benefited from the potential of ICTs. This issue needs to be approached from a regional perspective.

Panel 4: Emerging Issues

Several emerging issues may be approached from a regional standpoint. However, without denying the fact that the problem of ICT access in Latin America and the Caribbean is much broader and more complex, we must make sure that the focus remains on Internet governance.

Relevant issues include:

Privacy (such as the question of identifiers) and intellectual property.
The problem of Internet access continues to be a latent problem, particularly when it has to do with the need of establishing government policies.
The issues that were highlighted include changes that lead to network convergence; changes in terms of devices and users; and changes in relation to Internet access, content production, data storage and cloud computing. Simultaneously with these changes, educational processes must be implemented to allow the assimilation and creative use of the Internet, cooperation, and the existence of a balanced legislation such that these changes may be favorably assimilated by all parties involved.

Conclusion:

The following questions encompass all emerging issues: What is the role of the state and how does it translate into a serious commitment on the part of the countries of the region to prioritize Internet access and assign the necessary resources?

Faced with a potential disassociation between the purely technological and the social viewpoints, should the IGF become the stage for a broader dialogue on the social implications of ICT access, a forum where public policies, education, legal frameworks, and the development and implementation of new technologies are treated in a balanced way and with the same level of rigorousness?

Comments on the panels’ conclusions and recommendations

It is clear that the commitment of politicians at the highest level is necessary to promote the use of ICTs with the aim of achieving social and economic development. It is necessary to create means and mechanisms for working jointly with governments, promoting public-private alliances. However, governments must be aware that it is their duty to initiate and sustain processes and dynamics within their own countries and also within the region. Continued participation and the allocation of means and resources to achieve this participation are key factors. Nevertheless, beyond government involvement, it is necessary to agree on regional and sub-regional agendas aimed at harmonizing legislation.

It is also necessary to promote multistakeholder political dialogue even further within the region and to advance in the identification of similarities and challenges among the sub-regions, as these may provide elements for the formulation of regional agendas. For these reasons, the promotion of convergent dialogue becomes paramount.