Reconciling freedom and security in cyberspace
May 22, 11.00–12.30, Mässhallen, #session1
This panel aims to explore the concepts of freedom and security and their interconnected relationship in the cyber domain.
The interaction between individuals, businesses, organisations and states in cyberspace is, and will remain, one of the most important international policy issues of our time. Much of the international tension and discord on these issues essentially boils down to the fundamental concepts of freedom and security.
The boundless and complex character of cyberspace puts many of our established concepts of freedom and security into a new perspective. What is security? What is freedom? Security for whom and against what? Freedom for whom and to what? How do we ensure that both security and freedom are upheld? Do the transnational character of cyberspace and the inherent technical structure of the internet change the rules of the game?
Moderator:
Stephen Sackur, Journalist, Presenter HARDtalk at BBC World News
British journalist Stephen Sackur has served as a reporter for the BBC since 1986. He currently presents BBC World’s global-reaching daily show ‘HARDtalk’, for which he grills major personalities, politicians and creative from around the world.
During his time at the BBC, Stephen has been Europe Correspondent, Washington Correspondent, Middle East Correspondent (in both Cairo and Jerusalem) and Foreign Correspondent. He was the first to break the story of the mass killing on the Basra road out of Kuwait City, marking the end of the war, and wrote a bestselling book about his experiences, ‘On The Basra Road’. In 2010, Stephen was named International TV Personality of the Year by the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB).
Panelists
Ron Deibert, Director at the Canada Centre for Global Security Studies
Ron Deibert, (OOnt, PhD, University of British Columbia) is Professor of Political Science, and Director of the Canada Centre for Global Security Studies and the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto. The Citizen Lab is an interdisciplinary research and development hothouse working at the intersection of the Internet, global security, and human rights. He is a co-founder and a principal investigator of the OpenNet Initiative and Information Warfare Monitor (2003-2012) projects.
Deibert was one of the founders and (former) VP of global policy and outreach for Psiphon Inc. He has published numerous articles, chapters, and books on issues related technology, media, and world politics.
Deibert has been a consultant and advisor to governments, international organizations, and civil society/NGOs on issues relating to cyber security, cyber crime, online free expression, and access to information. He presently serves on the editorial board of the journals International Political Sociology, Security Dialogue, Explorations in Media Ecology, Review of Policy Research, and Astropolitics.
Leslie Harris, President & CEO, Center for Democracy and Technology
A recognized global leader in Internet policy and governance, Leslie Harris is the President and CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology (“CDT”) www.cdt.org, the leading Internet freedom organization working at the vanguard of technology and policy innovation.
Under Ms. Harris’ leadership, CDT has grown into an organization with global reach and influence. With offices in Washington, San Francisco and Brussels, CDT has become a premier source of deep policy and technical expertise, innovative ideas and strategic vision. During her tenure, Ms. Harris has led the organization’s strategy on issues ranging from net neutrality and consumer privacy to intellectual property, cyber security and Internet governance-
She has launched a number of new projects, including the widely acclaimed Health Privacy Project and the Global Project on Internet Policy and Human Rights. She also co-facilitated the creation of the Global Network Initiative, www.globalnetworkinitiative.org, a multistakeholder collaboration of leading Internet companies, investors, academic and civil society organization focused on protecting privacy and free expression.
On behalf of CDT, Ms Harris testifies frequently before Congress and federal agencies, regularly serves on federal governmental advisory committees and is a frequent speaker at conferences and official forums in the U.S. and around the world. She serves as CDT’s chief spokesperson and regularly contributes to several online publications and blogs, including the Huffington Post.
Renata Avila, Global Voices, Guatemala, Ingeniero en Ciencias Informáticas
Renata Avila is a Guatemalan lawyer working in human rights who is an active advocate for freedom of expression, privacy, digital rights, access to knowledge and respect for indigenous rights. She is the Country Lead of Creative Commons Guatemala and also co-heads the Technology for Transparency Initiative. She is a member of the Science Council for the Web Index. She is a contributing writer for Global Voices on Line, Global Voices Advocacy, the Open Net Initiative and other publications. Avila actively promotes the involvement of girls and women in technology and is interested in the improvement of societies through access to knowledge, the sharing of differences and acceptance of plural visions. She is also a member of the Cyber Stewards Network.
Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Home Affairs in the Barroso Commission
Cecilia Malmström is the European Commissioner responsible for Home Affairs issues. Her political portfolio covers two main policy areas: migration and security. Ms. Malmström’s responsibility as Commissioner includes the fight against organised crime and terrorism, and making sure that action in those fields is proportional and justified, with respect for EU fundamental rights, privacy and personal integrity.
With EU Commissioners Kroes and Ashton, she presented the EU cybersecurity strategy, “An Open, Safe and Secure Cyberspace”, earlier this year. In January, she also launched the European Cybercrime Centre at Europol headquarters in the Hague, which focuses on large-scale organised crime and fraud online. Late last year, Ms. Malmström launched, together with the US, the Global Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Online, comprised of 49 states worldwide.
Prior to her appointment as EU Commissioner in 2010, she served as a Member of the European Parliament between 1999 and 2006, and as Swedish Minister for European Affairs between 2006 and 2010. She is the former vice-president of the Liberal People’s Party in Sweden and holds a Ph.D. in Political Science.
Elaine Weidman, Vice President Sustainability and CR, Ericsson
Elaine Weidman-Grunewald is Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility (CR) for the Ericsson Group worldwide. She has worked for Ericsson in the US and Sweden for over 15 years. During this time she has held various positions in the company ranging from Environmental Product Management to Sales and Marketing. Since 2005 her work has focused exclusively on driving Ericsson’s sustainability and CR initiatives, and today she reports to the company President and CEO.
Ms. Weidman-Grunewald’s focus is on the role that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can play in addressing global challenges in areas such as poverty, development, climate change and human rights.
As the Ericsson spokesperson for Sustainability and CR, she is a frequent speaker at conferences, and interacts regularly with media, customers, policy makers and the analyst and investment community. She is responsible for a number of public private partnerships which explore the use Ericsson’s core technology to solve some of the world’s most compelling challenges and help to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including the company’s educational program, Connect To Learn.
Ms Weidman-Grunewald is on the Board of Millennium Promise. She is also on the Board of the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI.org). She represents Ericsson in many external fora, including the Broadband Commission for Digital Development and the UN Development Solutions Network.
Ms. Weidman-Grunewald holds a double Master’s degree from Boston University’s Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, in International Relations with a focus on Latin American social and economic development issues, and Resource and Environmental Management.
