“Trade Matters” For BRICS In Africa, So Does Internet Connectivity 10/10/2014 by Maëli Astruc for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Last week’s World Trade Organization Public Forum hosted dozens of panels on the general theme of “why trade matters.” A panel focusing on the role of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) found that the new BRICS Development Bank could foster infrastructure development in Africa, while another panel said that removing barriers to internet connectivity is key to economic growth.
Uganda Government Moves Towards Top-Level Domain Management 06/10/2014 by Hillary Muheebwa for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The use of internet continues to grow rapidly in Uganda. The Uganda Communications Commission’s quarterly report reveals that the country had over eight million internet users by the end of first quarter of 2014. Now, the government of Uganda is involved in a struggle over who should have the custodial rights to manage the .ug domain, the country’s Country Code Top-Level Domain, (ccTLD), which is currently run by a third party.
New US Ambassador Hamamoto Highlights Internet Governance, Ebola, IP 08/09/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Newly arrived United States Ambassador to the UN in Geneva Pamela Hamamoto last week met with journalists for the first time by highlighting internet governance and Ebola, with a mention of intellectual property rights, among other issues.
UN Internet Governance Forum Sees New Challengers, From Top Down And Bottom Up 08/09/2014 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments ISTANBUL – The Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace by John Perry Barlow in the end somehow reconnected the 9th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the new Internet Ungovernance Forum held in Istanbul last week. The nearly decade-old UN-led IGF initiative is facing profound new challenges as the global split widens over the future of the internet.
Group Calls For ITU Constitution Amendment To Protect Right To Privacy 01/09/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the right to privacy in the digital age has been lauded by a group of civil society organisations who also called states to curtail mass surveillance and for the ITU constitution to be amended.
IP-Watch, DiploFoundation Offer Shared Internship In Geneva 21/08/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual Property Watch is pleased to announce a joint internship opportunity with the DiploFoundation/Geneva Internet Platform in Geneva, covering events and issues related to internet governance.
Internet Governance And Celestial Mechanics 19/08/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment At a recent meeting of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), a Cuban expert offered a humorous – but at the same time serious – vision of global internet governance. Below are his remarks.
Can The Dot Pharmacy New Generic Domain Be Impartial? 21/07/2014 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments New generic top-level domain names seem set to be a constant source of discussions and dissension. The domain “.pharmacy” has been awarded to a United States pharmacy association with industry backing, stirring concerns among civil society and others. But the association insists it will work in an impartial manner to ensure safety of online pharmaceutical sales.
BRICS Urged To Create New Model Of Internet Governance 16/07/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments As the governments of the largest emerging economies gather this week in Brazil, a civil society coalition has issued a call for them to lead change in the global system of internet governance in light of revelations of mass surveillance. The groups provide suggestions for constructing a system that ensures human rights, equity and social justice for all people.
UN Human Rights Report Finds Significant Harm, Possible Illegality, In Mass Surveillance 16/07/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay today released a report criticising government mass surveillance, including the coercion of companies to release individuals’ information without their knowledge or consent. This activity is “severely hindering” accountability in human rights violations, and that governments must prove the legality of their actions, she said.