At the 2015 SXSW I ended up speaking at an in the GermanHaus where the focus was on privacy – a topic that I’ve spoken about quite a lot over the last couple of years.
For next year’s SXSW we’re trying to get a panel together with the Internet Infrastructure Coalition (i2C) to talk about ICANN, IANA and Internet governance. These aren’t what one might call “sexy” topics, but they’re damn important. Which is why we’re trying to get them onto the SXSW schedule and talk about them in a fun, entertaining, yet educational way.
The panel is titled: Are We Giving China the Internet? ICANN Explained
If you’ve been following any of the media coverage about ICANN and the IANA transition over the last year you’ll probably be quite confused. Some pundits are hell bent on using the IANA transition as a way to beat up on the Obama administration and to imply that Obama is somehow “giving away” the Internet to China, Russia and others (thence the title of the panel)
Here’s the official blurb:
Global Internet Governance doesn’t seem all that sexy, but this panel will explore why it can literally be a matter of life or death. In March 2014, the U.S. announced that it will relinquish oversight over the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). We’ve heard the critics scream that the U.S. is “giving away our Internet to Russia and China,” but is that really the case? Both sides of the IANA transition debate have talked about protecting the open Internet, and making sure that it is preserved as the greatest free speech tool on the planet. This panel explores how Congress is working with entrepreneurs throughout the Internet community to ensure those goals.
Who will be speaking?
- Tiffany Moore TwinLogic Strategies
- Suzan DelBene House of Representatives
- Christian Dawson i2coalition
- Michele Neylon Blacknight
- Rachel Wolbers TwinLogic Strategies (Moderator)
Since it’s SXSW there are a LOT of proposals for panels so the organisers run the panel picker where the public get to vote.
So if you think this panel is a good idea and you’d like to see it happen why not take a couple of minutes to vote for it?
About the Author: Michele Neylon
