[Interview] Sergio Alves Júnior, Brazil

DIPLO IGCBP: Sergio, what is occupying your mind these days? We heard you will present one research at the III Giganet annual meeting in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt - can you tell us more about it?

SERGIO: Many stakeholders have been proposing a myriad of technical and legal solutions, such as international cooperation platforms (e.g. International Telecommunication Union’s Global Cybersecurity Agenda) and multilateral agreements (e.g. Council of Europe’s Budapest Convention on Cybercrime), for keeping the virtual environment safer. They are usually cited as means for different incidents, from combating malwares to deterring immoral (and/or illegal) conducts (generally referred to as cybercrimes).

This research project focuses on an issue present in most of these initiatives: a tradeoff between security and privacy. In fact, it intents to examine privacy implications from one specific proposition of surveillance advocates: data retention. At the end, the research should generate legal and economic evidence to review, evaluate, support or reject some initiatives on cybersecurity.

DIPLO IGCBP: What else has been going on at your side?

SERGIO: I have had the opportunity to learn from different stakeholders mainly at telecommunications’ fora and working groups (ITU, Citel, Mercosur), but I have never attended an IGF event; I’m planing to do it in Egypt, right after the GigaNet Symposium. I plan to understand more of academics’ legal and economic arguments on ICT and the cyberspace. I am sure there will be a lot to listen to and, hopefully, something to say.

DIPLO IGCBP: What do you see as important challenges in Brazil and what lessons can we learn from Brazil?

SERGIO: Brazil lacks one unified ICT agenda. There is vital work to be done in reducing information assimetries among stakeholders that have not been considered in traditional policy making.

The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br) is the multistakeholder organization responsible for implementation, administration and use of the network in Brazil. It is composed by members of the government, the enterprise sector, the third sector and the academic community, and looks pretty similar to the multistakeholder model that many have been arguing for in the international arena. CGI.br has been widely cited as a successful internet governance experience.

DIPLO IGCBP: Many thanks for this interview, Sergio - all those who are interested to know more on how to approach Giganet, or get more info on the multistakeholder model of Brazil are welcome to leave a comment here or contact Sergio Alves Jr. by adding him as a friend and sending him a message!