e‐g8 forum summary · governments should get out of the way of startups. just ensure high‐speed...

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e‐G8 FORUM e‐G8 Forum Summary Paris, May 24‐25 2011 Workshops I Session 1: Building blocks: The Art of the Startup Key Findings * Governments should get out of the way of startups. Just ensure high‐speed Internet access to citizens. * To help start‐ups expand and operate across borders, governments should standardize their practices. * The G8 could promote a government‐coordinated information portal for businesses, covering tax treaties, visa requirements, resident permits, employment rules, and local practices. Synopsis To help startup companies, governments should stay largely out of the way. However they can help encourage growth by ensuring high‐quality Internet infrastructure and business regulations that foster growth. Universal high‐speed Internet access, friendly hiring and taxation laws are policies that make starting an international business easier to navigate and afford. Government can also encourage growth by preventing “brain drain” — the loss of a country’s most talented and educated workers overseas. To help start‐ups expand and operate across borders, governments should standardize their practices as much as possible, making their business requirements and services accessible and intelligible to a broad international audience. The G8 could even promote a government‐coordinated information portal, where businesses can go to grasp the wide variety of international issues confronting them, such as tax treaties, visa requirements, resident permits, employment rules, and local practices. Across the world, entrepreneurs can encounter law‐makers with very little detailed knowledge of the issues they’re facing. To produce policies that will affect startups

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Page 1: e‐G8 Forum Summary · Governments should get out of the way of startups. Just ensure high‐speed Internet access to citizens. * To help start‐ups expand and operate across borders,

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

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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

Page 3: e‐G8 Forum Summary · Governments should get out of the way of startups. Just ensure high‐speed Internet access to citizens. * To help start‐ups expand and operate across borders,

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

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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

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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.

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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

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Introduction:JohnPerryBarlow,ViceChairman,ElectronicFrontierFoundationAlecRoss,SpecialAdvisortoUSSecretaryofStateHillaryClintonJean‐FrançoisJulliard,Secretary‐General,ReportersWithoutBordersTonyWang,GeneralManagerEurope,TwitterHassanFattah,EditorinChief,TheNationalJamalKhashoggiGeneralManagerAlwaleed24NewschannelSusanPointer,DirectorPublicPolicyandGovernmentRelationsEMEA,GoogleNadineWahab,EgyptianactivistModeratedby:OlivierFleurot,CEO,MSLGROUPTheviewexpressedarethoseofcertainparticipantsinthediscussionanddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsofallparticipantsorofthee‐G8Forumasawhole.Copyright2011eG8ForumWednesdayMay25,2011