EG8PressConference

From: Access Now <press@accessnow.org>
Subject: Civil Society Press Conference at eG8, Wednesday 25th May, Paris

Press Conference to be held at 11:00am on Wednesday 25 May at the e-G8 Press Conference Room

Civil Society rallies against Sarkozy’s call for Internet regulation

Speakers:
Jean Francois Julliard - Secretary-General, Reporters Without Borders,
Jeremie Zimmerman - spokesperson, La Quadrature du Net
Susan Crawford - member of ICANN board of directors (2005-2008)

After the first day of discussions at the so-called “e-G8 forum” President Sarkozy’s disastrous design for the internet has become glaringly apparent. According to sources who have seen the G8 communique to be released at the end of this week’s meetings in Deauville, France, the world’s most developed economies are poised to impose strict copyright enforcement and heavy-handed government regulation of the internet. Voices of civil society are speaking out, urging the G8 leaders to adopt citizen-centered policies ensuring privacy and freedom of communication such as net neutrality and combating online censorship, private policing and surveillance.

Over 45 leading digital rights groups have joined voices in a global statement to President Sarkozy and the G8. Citizen-users from over 90 countries have also spoken out, signing a petition which can be found at: www.accessnow.org/G8-Protect-the-Net

For more information, please contact:
press@accessnow.org or +32 486 301 096
contact@laquadrature.net or +33 615 940 675

Note to Editors:
Access is a non-profit organization premised on the belief that the realization of human rights and political participation in the twenty-first century is increasingly predicated on access to the internet and other forms of information communication technology.

La Quadrature du Net is an advocacy group that promotes the rights and freedoms of citizens on the Internet. More specifically, it advocates for the adaptation of French and European legislations to respect the founding principles of the Internet, most notably the free circulation of knowledge.