A summary of the events surrounding the eG8 Forum held on the 24th and 25th May in Paris, France.

1. e ➤ G8 Forum
Internet Regulation or Net Freedom?

2. Background

24th – 25th May 2011 Paris, France

Hosted by French Republic President, Nicolas Sarkozy

Delegates included members of the digital ecosystem

3. The importance of the role that the Internet now
plays in our personal as well as our professional
lives, and the opportunities but also the
challenges that the network represents for our
societies, our economies and our cultures, have
led me to propose that the topic be included on
the agenda of the summit of Heads of State and
governments that will take place in Deauville on
May 26 and 27.
- Nicolas Sarkozy
President, The French Republic

4. In case you missed it...

e-G8 was Sarkozy's initiative to bring together major
Internet stakeholders and members of the digital
ecosystem to discuss issues pertaining to the Internet

The conclusion to these discussions would be
presented to the G8 by a delegation from the
conference

President Sarkozy had asked that the Internet be
discussed as an agenda at the G8

5. Forum Agenda

The Internet and Economic Growth

The Internet and Society

Future Net: What’s Next?

Intellectual Property in the Digital Age

Fostering Innovation

Digital Transformation

6. How will the Internet contribute to the
creation of more wealth, more jobs, more
freedom? How can we go further? How, too,
can we be even more respectful of the rights of
others – their intellectual creations and their
private lives? How can we ensure a proper
balance in value sharing? How can we be both
free of constraint and responsible?
- Maurice Lévy
Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe

8. Sarkozy's Remarks
He extolled the virtues of the Internet – Open,
Participative and Free

He cautioned against its excesses

His case to the world: The dynamism of the online
world should be civilized to respect privacy, security
and intellectual property rights.

9. “The universe you represent is not a parallel
universe. Nobody should forget that
governments are the only legitimate
representatives of the will of the people in our
democracies. To forget this is to risk
democratic chaos and anarchy.”
- Nicolas Sarkozy
President, The French Republic

11. “The Internet is the new frontier, a territory to
conquer.” - Sarkozy. And I am in Paris to stop
him. #eG8
- John Perry Barlow (@JPBarlow)
Founder, Electronic Frontier Foundation

12. "Technology will move faster than
governments, so don't legislate before you
understand the consequences...nobody who is
a delegate here would want Internet growth to
be slowed by some stupid rule."
- Eric Schmidt
Executive Chairman, Google

13. At #eG8, government acts as if it should protect
us from the Internet. Instead, the Internet needs
protection from government.
- Jeff Jarvis (@jeffjarvis)
Associate Professor, City University of New York

14. #eG8 Value of Internet is not just efficiency but
transparency – a much better regulator than
government could ever be.
- Esther Dyson (@edyson)
Digital Technology Journalist

15. So what does e-commerce have to do with it?
“Given the amount of e-commerce taking place
online, some degree of regulation makes sense.”
- Christine Lagarde
French Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry
“To gain the full economic benefits of the Internet,
governments must allow some degree of openness.”
- Hillary Clinton
US Secretary of State

16. Civil Society Response

Expanding Internet access for all

Combating digital censorship and surveillance

Limiting online intermediary liability

Upholding principles of net neutrality

17. Civil Society Response
“All action taken against illicit activity on the network
must be aimed at those directly responsible for such
activities, and not at the means of access and transport,
always upholding the fundamental principles of
freedom, privacy and the respect for human rights.”
- Principles for
the Governance and Use of the Internet
Brazilian Government

18. Internet Bill of Rights
“The very architecture of the Internet is its best
protection”
- Jeff Jarvis
Associate Professor, City University of New York

Right to connect

Protection of free speech

Right to act

Right to assemble

19. e-G8 delegation to the G8

Maurice Lévy, the Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe
and Chairman of the e-G8

Hiroshi Mikitani, CEO of Rakuten

Yuri Milner, CEO of Digital Sky Technologies

Stéphane Richard, CEO of France Telecom-Orange

Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook.

20. e-G8 delegation emphasis

Internet is a powerful vector of individual fulfillment,
free expression and personal development

Internet is a positive force for change, capable of
renewing the way in which groups and organizations
cooperate and act

The Internet is also a strong economic locomotive,
creating wealth and jobs

21. e-G8 delegation emphasis

Invited the G8 leaders to ensure proactive policies
regarding investment in order to guarantee all citizens
access to an Internet that is free, rapid and safe.

The exponential growth in the flow of information,
and the increasing interconnection of networks

Called for action by public authorities to ensure the
stability, security and development of the physical
infrastructure without which the Internet could not
exist.

22. G8 Response

The openness, transparency and freedom of the
Internet have been key to its development and success.
These principles, together with those of non-
discrimination and fair competition, must continue to
be an essential force behind its development.

Freedom of opinion, expression, information,
assembly and association must be safeguarded on the
Internet as elsewhere. Arbitrary or indiscriminate
censorship or restrictions on access to the Internet are
inconsistent with States’ international obligations and
are clearly unacceptable. Furthermore, they impede
economic and social growth

24. References

http://www.eg8forum.com/en/

http://www.businessinsider.com/eg8-france

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304520804576343023
926886188.html

http://radar.oreilly.com/2011/05/eg8-2011-internet-freedom-ip-
copyright.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/25/technology/25tech.html?_r=1

http://gov20.govfresh.com/g8-the-internet-has-become-the-public-
arena-for-our-time/

http://www.g20-g8.com/g8-g20/g8/english/live/news/renewed-
commitment-for-freedom-and-democracy.1314.html

http://mastersofmedia.hum.uva.nl/2011/06/14/e-g8-governments-
acknowledge-importance-of-open-internet/