Internet New Zealand recently ran a three day Net Hui (conference) in Auckland to discuss key issues around the internet. Over 500 people from all walks of life attended the event, making it a rich environment to hear a wide range of views and perspectives.
There were lively discussions on topics ranging from copyright law, access and diversity, digital citizenship, human rights, the future of digital content, who controls or governs the internet, censorship, and much more.
I could not possibly cover all the issues or ideas discussed and would encourage you to go to the Hui website (http://nethui.org.nz/ ) where you can still access the discussion forums and notes from each session. You can also view YouTube videos from some of the major sessions including the well received key note speaker, Professor Lawrence Lessig. ( http://www.youtube.com/NetHuiNZ )
The key things that hit me personally from the conference were:
1. The internet is changing the world we are living in. We all know the internet is a powerful tool and that more and more people are using it, but at the Hui, I heard real examples about how the internet is revolutionising business models (e.g. the media industry), empowering people to learn about the world in which they live, and even helping bring change in governments.
2. Privacy and security issues are clearly mainstream. The truth is out about how Facebook and Google earn their money, and it is from our personal Information. With hundreds of millions of people using such services, people are becoming aware of the need to control and protect their personal information and manage it in a way that helps them derive value from it, not others.
3. There is a need for continued education regarding the internet. It was a clear reminder that the average internet user is not a very sophisticated user, but is someone who is using email, social networking, searching for information and maybe buying and selling online. While the internet needs to be simple for all to use, some of the issues and challenges the internet presents are not that simple. There is a need for ongoing discussion and education about the internet so that it continues to be a system that helps us live the lives we want to lead not hinder it.
Well done Internet New Zealand for hosting such an event and bringing discussion on these issues into the public arena. The internet is here to stay and we all need to shape its future together so that it helps us live our lives in the way we want to.
There were lively discussions on topics ranging from copyright law, access and diversity, digital citizenship, human rights, the future of digital content, who controls or governs the internet, censorship, and much more.
I could not possibly cover all the issues or ideas discussed and would encourage you to go to the Hui website (http://nethui.org.nz/ ) where you can still access the discussion forums and notes from each session. You can also view YouTube videos from some of the major sessions including the well received key note speaker, Professor Lawrence Lessig. ( http://www.youtube.com/NetHuiNZ )
The key things that hit me personally from the conference were:
1. The internet is changing the world we are living in. We all know the internet is a powerful tool and that more and more people are using it, but at the Hui, I heard real examples about how the internet is revolutionising business models (e.g. the media industry), empowering people to learn about the world in which they live, and even helping bring change in governments.
2. Privacy and security issues are clearly mainstream. The truth is out about how Facebook and Google earn their money, and it is from our personal Information. With hundreds of millions of people using such services, people are becoming aware of the need to control and protect their personal information and manage it in a way that helps them derive value from it, not others.
3. There is a need for continued education regarding the internet. It was a clear reminder that the average internet user is not a very sophisticated user, but is someone who is using email, social networking, searching for information and maybe buying and selling online. While the internet needs to be simple for all to use, some of the issues and challenges the internet presents are not that simple. There is a need for ongoing discussion and education about the internet so that it continues to be a system that helps us live the lives we want to lead not hinder it.
Well done Internet New Zealand for hosting such an event and bringing discussion on these issues into the public arena. The internet is here to stay and we all need to shape its future together so that it helps us live our lives in the way we want to.
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