The Internet is becoming integral to every area of our lives -- education, economics, health, politics. As Internet access reaches throughout the globe, its benefits are expanding...along with growing threats. Take VOIP. It promises to make cheap communications accessible worldwide...and simultaneously to open a new era of cyber-fraud and human rights violations.
Perhaps the most disquieting threat comes from cyber-terrorism. Terrorists can use the Internet to coordinate deadly attacks in multiple countries or to cripple international e-commerce. International agencies, governments, businesses, and civil society must collaborate to avert these threats. Open source software provides both a metaphor and a concrete model of the benefits that accrue when everyone can contribute and benefit. Yet for all stakeholders to cooperate, they must rise above mutual suspicion and distrust. Encryption is a case in point. It can help prevent fraud and protect information about NGOs fighting international crimes such as trafficking in persons. Yet some governments fear that it will give criminals and terrorists the means to evade detection. Key questions: 1) Do we need to think and operate differently to prevent cyber-crime and cyber-terrorism in the future? Who needs to change what? Please be specific. 2) What is the responsibility of donors and NGOs who are helping expand Internet access? Should they always ensure secure networks? Should they demand a proper balance between security and privacy protection? 3) What new threats come from new technologies, e.g., cell phones that access the Web? What, specifically, must be done -- and by whom -- to address these threats? 4) Are there new technologies that can help meet the cyber-security threats? 5) What policies and strategies do you recommend developing countries adopt to take advantage of new technologies while preventing cyber-crime and terrorism? 6) Can open source software help build cyber-security? What must donors, businesses, governments and NGOs do to make it happen? 7) Where should we draw the line between development of legal and illegal encryption? 8) Growing collaboration between regulatory and security agencies helps fight cyber-crime and cyber-terrorism, but simultaneously poses threats to privacy and human rights. What is the best approach to maximizing the benefits and reducing the threats? ------------ This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides more information. To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd For the GKD database, with past messages: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
