e‐g8 forum summary · governments should get out of the way of startups. just ensure high‐speed...
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e‐G8FORUM
e‐G8ForumSummaryParis,May24‐252011WorkshopsISession1:Buildingblocks:TheArtoftheStartup
KeyFindings
*Governmentsshouldgetoutofthewayofstartups.Justensurehigh‐speedInternetaccesstocitizens.*Tohelpstart‐upsexpandandoperateacrossborders,governmentsshouldstandardizetheirpractices.*TheG8couldpromoteagovernment‐coordinatedinformationportalforbusinesses,coveringtaxtreaties,visarequirements,residentpermits,employmentrules,andlocalpractices.
Synopsis
Tohelpstartupcompanies,governmentsshouldstaylargelyoutoftheway.Howevertheycanhelpencouragegrowthbyensuringhigh‐qualityInternetinfrastructureandbusinessregulationsthatfostergrowth.Universalhigh‐speedInternetaccess,friendlyhiringandtaxationlawsarepoliciesthatmakestartinganinternationalbusinesseasiertonavigateandafford.Governmentcanalsoencouragegrowthbypreventing“braindrain”—thelossofacountry’smosttalentedandeducatedworkersoverseas.Tohelpstart‐upsexpandandoperateacrossborders,governmentsshouldstandardizetheirpracticesasmuchaspossible,makingtheirbusinessrequirementsandservicesaccessibleandintelligibletoabroadinternationalaudience.TheG8couldevenpromoteagovernment‐coordinatedinformationportal,wherebusinessescangotograspthewidevarietyofinternationalissuesconfrontingthem,suchastaxtreaties,visarequirements,residentpermits,employmentrules,andlocalpractices.Acrosstheworld,entrepreneurscanencounterlaw‐makerswithverylittledetailedknowledgeoftheissuesthey’refacing.Toproducepoliciesthatwillaffectstartups
strugglingtoexpandintonewmarkets,governmentsthemselvesshouldworktoeducatelegislatorsontheissuesthatwillshapebusinesslegislation.Afterstartingupabusiness,anotherhardchallengeiscreatingsustainable,largerbusinessesthatwilllast.ThiscanbeespeciallydifficultinthediversemarketplacesofEurope,wherethereismorefrictionfacingastartupduetothedifferenttreatmentofregulations,hiringlawsandevenemployeestockoptionsamongcountries.CompaniesbasedinEuropeoftenkeepapresenceinSiliconValley,thusgreatlyincreasingthechancesofturninginnovativeideasintoasuccessfulbusiness.Whendevelopinganon‐existenttechnology,companiescanfindtalentandunderstandtheculturenecessarytogrowinSiliconValley.
e‐G8ForumSummaryParisMay24‐25,2011SessionPanelistsSamirArora,Chairman&CEO,GlamMedia,Inc.LucaAscani,Co‐Founder&Chairman,PopulisBruceGolden,Partner,AccelPartnersRickMarini,Founder&CEO,BranchOutShaukatShamim,Founder&CEOBuysightModeratedby:EstherDyson,Chairman,EDventureTheviewexpressedarethoseofcertainparticipantsinthediscussionanddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsofallparticipantsorofthee‐G8Forumasawhole.Copyright2011eG8ForumWednesdayMay25,2011
e‐G8FORUM
e‐G8ForumSummaryParis,May24‐252011WorkshopsISession2:KingContent:EntertainmentintheDigitalAge
KeyFindings
• GloballeadersshoulddiscusshowtofinancecreationontheInternetsoitbenefitstheartistaswellassociety.
• Concernsaboutauthors'andartists'rightsmayrequireregulationtoprotecttheirfreedom.• Whoenforcesregulatoryrules,andhow?• TheG8shoulddiscussharmonizationofrulesbetweencountries.• Mobiletechnologyischangingthewayconsumersinteractwiththemedia.Industryplayers
shouldadaptquicklytonewbusinessmodelsinthevirtualeconomy.
Synopsis
TheInternet’sinfrastructuremakesiteasierforpeopletoaccessmediaontheirterms,decidingiftheywanttoown,rent,oraccesscontentforfree.ApercentageofindustryexpertsbelievegloballeadersshoulddiscusshowtofinancecreationontheInternetsoitbenefitstheartistaswellassocietyandcultureasawhole.
ThedemandforTV,movies,andgamesremainsunchanged:Peopleconsumeasmuchormoremediacontentthanever.ThefactorthatcontinuestochangeasaresultoftheInternetandemergingtechnologiesishowpeopleconsumethismedia.Mobiletechnology,forinstance,israpidlychangingthewayconsumersbehaveandinteractwithcontent.Agrowingsegmentofend‐usersnowexpectcontenttobemadeavailabletotheminstantly,inanylocation,forfree.BookpublisherspointoutthatpriortotheInternet,physicalspacewasanissuewhenitcametothereleaseofnewpublications:oldtitleshadtobeeliminatedinordertomakeroomfornewreleases.ThankstotheInternetthisproblemhasbeeneliminated.Thereisalsoanexcitingnewmarketforreissuingpreviouslyout‐of‐printbooks.
Asonlineconsumerbehaviorsdiffersignificantly,thequestionforInternetplayersbecomeshowtotransitionfromonebusinessmodel(i.e.providingfreecontent)toanother(i.e.providingfor‐paycontent)withthehopeofmaximizingtheconsumerexperiencewhilemaintaininghigh‐qualitycontent.Expertsagreethatbeingabletoquicklyadapttonewbusinessmodelsisessentialfortoday’sonlineplayerstokeepupwithrapidlyadvancingtechnologies.
Thepressingandpolitically‐chargedissueofInternetregulationreemergedinthecontextofonline
content.Whileindustryexpertsremaindividedonthesubject,mostagreetheissueshouldbetakenupattheinternationallevelbytoday’sgloballeadersandpolicymakers.Someexpertsalsopointoutthatregulationisnottheevildoeritsopponentsmakeitouttobe;theybelieverulesarenecessaryinanycommunity—beitphysicalorvirtual—andguardfreedom.Othersassertthataggregateddatashowsalargepercentageofpeoplewhoare“stealing”mediacontentonlinedonotknowthey’redoingit.Instead,thoseofthisopinionbelievethattoday’sonlineconsumerslackthenecessaryliteracyonhowtousemediaresponsiblyandlegallyontheInternet.Industryshouldaddressthisproblem.
Theenforcementofregulation—Whoenforceswhat,andhow?—isalsoagrowingconcernforInternetplayersonbothsidesoftheregulationargument.Thegeneralconsensusisthatthemattershouldbeaddressedattheinternationallevel.Further,theharmonizationofrulesandregulationsbetweencountriesshouldalsobeontheinternationalagendaindiscussionsconcerningonlinemediacontent.Differentcountrieshavedifferentrules,andthisposesproblemsforthoseconsuminganddistributingmediaintheborderless,virtualworld.
e‐G8ForumSummaryParisMay24‐25,2011SessionPanelistsCarolynReidy,President&CEO,Simon&SchusterDavidDrummond,SeniorVicePresident,GoogleMartinRogard,GeneralManagerFrance,DailymotionDavidKenny,President,AkamaiMikaelHed,CEO,RovioMobilePatrickZelnik,CEO,NaïveModeratedby:SpencerReiss,ProgramDirector,MonacoMediaForumTheviewexpressedarethoseofcertainparticipantsinthediscussionanddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsofallparticipantsorofthee‐G8Forumasawhole.Copyright2011eG8ForumWednesdayMay25,2011
e‐G8FORUM
e‐G8ForumSummaryParis,May24‐252011WorkshopsISession3:ElectronicLiberty:NewToolsforFreedom
KeyFindings
• ThereshouldbeaglobalcommitmenttoInternetfreedombackedbyaformalcollectiveresponse
• ThedifferingcompanypoliciesbetweenFacebookandGooglehadhugeimpactonthefreedomofexpressionandpersonalsafetyofEgyptiancivicprotestors
• Oneofthenewdifficultiesfacingrespected,paid‐fornewspapersisverifyingthereliabilityofanonymous,informalsourcesofnews
• EvenmoreimportantthanInternetregulationandcopyrightprotectionmustbetheabsolutedefenseoffreedomofexpressiononline
• Thelastbastionofdictatorshipistherouter.Humanbeingscanalsoberouterswhichnogovernmentcanblock,viz.therebelsofBenghazi
Synopsis
Policiesofmajorinternetcompaniescanunintentionallyhavedevastatingimpactonthepersonalsecurityofactiveconcernedcitizenslivinginauthoritarianregimes.Facebook'sinsistencethateachprofileshouldcorrespondtoareadilyidentifiablepersonmightmakesenseinademocracy,butinotherregionsitcancreateenormousproblems.ThousandsofInternetusersareinprisonaroundtheworldforthe“crime”ofexpressingtheiropinions.
ThecompanypoliciesofGoogleandTwittermadeitpossibleforinternetusersintheMiddleEast,forexample,tocommunicatefreelybutwithoutthedangerofbeingidentified.However,foramainstreamtraditionalmediaoutletwhichplacesahighpremiumonthereliabilityofitssourcesofinformation,theanonymityofinformalsourcesposesahugeproblem.
ItiseasyforanundemocraticregimetorestrictaccesstotheNet,butnogovernmentcanevershutdownfreedomofexpression.WerecentlysawcourageousLibyanssmugglingtelecomsandinternetequipmentintoBenghaziaftertheQaddafiregimehadknockedouttheirtransmissiontowers.
Inopensocieties,theInternetisrapidlyprogressingasasophisticatedtoolforpoliticalstrategyandcommunication.TheinnovativetechniquesusedbytheObama2008campaignarenowmainstreamtoolsusedbyeveryone.
TherewasaverystrongfeelingexpressedthatthereshouldbeawellstructuredGlobalCommitmenttoInternetFreedom,backedupbythecertaintyofacollectiveresponsetoanymajorinfringements,basedonArticle19oftheUnitedNationsTreatyof1948.Thisisextremelyurgent,andshouldbeenforcedasagreaterprioritythaneitheranyagreementaboutInternetcontentregulationorCopyrightEnforcement.
Despitealltheconcernsforindividualfreedoms,andtheirpossiblelimitations,usersinwealthy,WesterndemocraciesshouldnotjusttaketheInternetforgranted:therearemanyplacesintheworldwhereevensimpleaccesstotheWebisgreetedwithinfectiousexcitementandoptimism.
Thereisheateddebateaboutwhethertopermitencryptionforonlinemessagingservices.
SessionPanelistsAlec Ross, Special Advisor to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Jean-François Julliard, Secretary-General, Reporters Without Borders
Tony Wang, General Manager Europe, Twitter
Hassan Fattah, Editor-in-Chief, The National
Jamal Khashoggi, General Manager, Alwaleed 24News channel
Susan Pointer, Director, Public Policy & Government Relations EMEA, Google
Nadine Wahab, Egyptian activist
Moderated by
Olivier Fleurot, CEO, MSLGROUP
doublingeffectiveclientbasefrom150to300millionpotentialusers. Themusicindustrymaysoonseeanewrushofrevenue.Justashasbeenhappeninginthebookpublishingindustry,backcataloguesoftheoldschoolrecordlabelsarenowbecomingveryvaluable.
e‐G8ForumSummaryParisMay24‐25,2011SessionPanelists
Introduction:JohnPerryBarlow,ViceChairman,ElectronicFrontierFoundationAlecRoss,SpecialAdvisortoUSSecretaryofStateHillaryClintonJean‐FrançoisJulliard,Secretary‐General,ReportersWithoutBordersTonyWang,GeneralManagerEurope,TwitterHassanFattah,EditorinChief,TheNationalJamalKhashoggiGeneralManagerAlwaleed24NewschannelSusanPointer,DirectorPublicPolicyandGovernmentRelationsEMEA,GoogleNadineWahab,EgyptianactivistModeratedby:OlivierFleurot,CEO,MSLGROUPTheviewexpressedarethoseofcertainparticipantsinthediscussionanddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsofallparticipantsorofthee‐G8Forumasawhole.Copyright2011eG8ForumWednesdayMay25,2011