Green Conference "Bloggers for democracy", 5.12.12, Brussels

Autocracies fighting back?

The Arab Spring was initiated by a new generation of activists and engaged citizens, who came together on the internet in platforms and social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and many other blogs searching for information and exchanging views. Their spontaneous and extremely rapidly organised protests and actions brought the governments literally to standstill. But dictators are also learning quickly, as the example of Belarus show.
Green MEPs invited internet and software experts, specialised in avoiding digital supervision systems and supporting internet activists as well as bloggers from Russia, China, Azerbaijan and Egypt, who reported from their personal experience.

Video recording of the event

Report of the event (only in german)

Program of the conference from  5 Dezember 2012

The Arab Spring was initiated by a new generation of activists and engaged citizens, who came together on the internet in platforms and social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and many other blogs searching for information and exchanging views. Their spontaneous and extremely rapidly organised protests and actions brought the governments literally to standstill. But was this really the key to success?

Dictators are also learning quickly, as the example of Belarus shows - rebellion on the internet does not inevitably develop into an uprising in the real world. On the contrary, president Lukashenko and his security service possess almost total control over the internet, similar to the web supervision exercised in China and Azerbaijan. And all this with our connivance as European Union companies deliver the tools and technology needed to exert internet surveillance. What are the threats here? What are the technical possibilities to elude surveillance and what can the EU do? What recommendation can bloggers give - people who try to cope with their repressive governments every day?

Green MEPs Amelia Andersdotter, Ulrike Lunacek, Indrek Tarand and Werner Schulz invite internet and software experts, specialised in avoiding digital supervision systems and supporting internet activists as well as bloggers from Russia, China, Azerbaijan and Egypt, who will report from their personal experience.

This public conference by the Greens/EFA group will be fully interpretated by International Sign (IS) interpreters in the room. Live Speech to Text will also be projected in the room. IS interpretation and Speech to Text will also be accessible via the livestream on the Greens/EFA homepage.

The conference is organised by Greens/EFA MEPs Amelia Andersdotter (Sweden), Ulrike Lunacek (Austria), Indrek Tarand (Estonia) and Werner Schulz (Germany)

Opening remarks: Barbara Lochbihler MEP, Chairwomen  of the Human Rights subcommitee

II. POLITICAL/SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH BLOGGING - THE BLOG AS A POLITICAL WEAPON