Between 11 and 13 July I am attending NetHui 2012, a grassroots conference organised by InternetNZ, welcome to all comers. ICANN meetings tend to be about high-end policy issues but it is fascinating to attend a conference which is about, and for the actual internet users. After all, this is what we are trying to encourage by setting up the safe and secure and neutral network, as administered in part by ICANN. It is important to remember why we have ICANN, and why we need to meet with the users at the grassroots. The link for the conference is at http://nethui.org.nz/
New Zealanders have been very active in Internet policy making over many years. I think I could say with some pride in my fellow New Zealanders that we contribute well beyond our numbers. I am relatively new of course, and recognise the pioneers like Frank March and Keith Davidson, as well as the Internet NZ chief executive Vikram Kumar, and many others, who I hope will forgive me by not specifically mentioning them.
I have tried to go to as many sessions as I can. For those readers who are not familiar with the origin of the name, hui is a Maori name for meeting, and there are a number of specific initiatives for indigenous people and the use of the Internet discussed at this conference. There have already been a number of impressive speakers including a keynote address from Pamela Jones Harbour, a former Federal Trade Commissioner, on privacy issues with considerable insight into the way these have been resolved with the major players such as Google and Facebook. But there have also been fascinating discussions about issues such as copyright, rural Internet, human rights, regulating bad behaviour online and a number of significant governance sessions. We have had senior politicians present as well. But the people on the ground come from incredibly diverse backgrounds and to the input and ideas are both outstanding and innovative.
For me it is important to realise why we are here, and to talk to these people. I have learned a great deal in many areas just by listening.