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# IGF 2018 WS #369 A BRIC hit the Web: Finding patterns in digital policymaking

Format:

Round Table - 60 Min

Theme:

Development, Innovation & Economic Issues

Subtheme:

INTERNET FOR DEVELOPMENT & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Organizer 1: Mark Datysgeld, Governance Primer
Organizer 2: Ilona Stadnik, Saint-Petersburg State University

Speaker 1: Mark Datysgeld, Private Sector, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 2: Ilona Stadnik, Civil Society, Eastern European Group

Additional Speakers:

- Luca Belli, Center for Technology and Society of Fundação Getulio Vargas Law School
- Dr. Govind, ISOC Delhi Chapter President
- Yik Chan, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Relevance:

The BRIC countries show similar patterns of late economic development in the 20th century, and as such have formed a fast bond with digital technology. The impact that this has in policymaking is an important factor that is often overlooked when discussing their development, and in our 2018 IGF flash session entitled “How to leverage BRICS digital advantages and leave behind our shortcomings?”, common threads of discussion were found that would be worth exploring further on a more substantial space, such as: what stakeholders orient their national policymaking decisions in the cyber sphere; the ways in which non-government actors organize themselves to generate changes in policy; and the presence or absence of cooperation between the countries in this loose bloc.

Session Content:

The BRIC countries are, by and large, nations whose populations are deeply invested in digital technology, which makes it relevant to understand just how that interest is being channeled. Data from Akamai shows that, in order, China, Russia, Brazil, and India are all within the Top 10 list of countries from which cyber-attacks originate, a statistic that shows just how much talent there is in these countries for the development of digital solutions, even though a significant parcel of that is manifested in the form of misconduct. We could say that “a BRIC hit the Web”, and for diverse reasons, part of the potential of these people are squandered and converted into malicious actions, resulting in a net loss that troubles the global community.

However, with the emergence of new arrangements and the increasing dynamic of markets, it becomes viable to analyze how policy is being shaped within those countries in order to identify common positive and negative tendencies, aiming at increasing our understanding of how these nations organize their affairs in what relates to the Internet. This round table unites specialists of varied backgrounds from each BRIC country, so that different relevant research can be shared and experiences paralleled. The end goal is that of comparing policies on different issue areas and identifying unifying threads so that ideas for cooperation and future research can be generated, with focus on cyber security and sovereignty.

All BRIC nations have put forward strategies in relation to their participation in the cyberspace, and a growing number of laws and whitepapers can be identified as relating to the global changes in the security paradigm as it relates both to end users and the State itself. President Putin of Russia has more than once advanced the idea that developing countries should separate from the global DNS and pursue their own solutions, China has also threatened to leave the DNS space as it currently presented, Brazil has been very active since the beginnings of Internet Governance and has on occasion expressed that its interests are at odds with some positions, and India choose to remain at the borders of the issue due to sovereignty concerns, only recently advancing more structured efforts within the space. What does this mean for the future of cooperation between these nations and its actors?

Interventions:

Moderator: Mark Datysgeld, Brazil: Luca Belli, Russia: Ilona Stadnik, India: Dr. Govind, China: Yik Chan

Diversity:

The panel will include one speaker from each of the BRIC countries, with an even gender balance. All of the States involved in this loose bloc are considered to be developing countries, and so are the speakers.

Online Participation:

Online participation is held in the same regard as physical interactions, something demonstrable from previous Workshops organized by the proposers. We have experience in making sure that both these aspects fit, and an active interest in incorporating varied points of view.

Discussion Facilitation:

Both the remote and face-to-face mediators have previous experience with the coordination of such events, which should contribute to the good flow of activities. By making use of the round table format and keeping interventions short, we intend to have the dynamic exchange of ideas as the central value of the workshop.

Onsite Moderator:

Mr. Mark Datysgeld

Online Moderator:

Michael Oghia

Rapporteur:

Agustina Callegari

Session Time:
Wednesday, 14 November, 2018 - 11:20 to 12:20
Room:
Salle III

## Archived Content

- 2017 IGF: Geneva
- 2016 IGF: Jalisco
- 2015 IGF: João Pessoa
- 2014 IGF: Istanbul
- 2013 IGF: Bali
- 2012 IGF: Baku
- 2011 IGF: Nairobi
- 2010 IGF: Vilnius
- 2009 IGF: Sharm El Sheikh
- 2008 IGF: Hyderabad
- 2007 IGF: Rio de Janeiro
- 2006 IGF: Athens

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## Contact Information

United Nations
Secretariat of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

Villa Le Bocage
Palais des Nations,
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland

igf [at] un [dot] org
+41 (0) 229 173 678