ICTs (Information Communications Technologies) have enjoyed an unprecedented rate of growth and innovation as they give individuals and the communities in which they live a highly effective tool for personal, communal, social, economic and cultural development. This is the digital value proposition. When ICT users find themselves increasingly unable to make effective use of the technologies the promise of the digital value proposition is broken and digital growth and innovation stagnates or even stops. Another main factor that undermines the digital value proposal is the fact that the internet is a country in which 99.0 % of the population don't even know that the Government even exists.
Domain names are more than a technical tool or function, they are the key interface between the Internet and its users. By owning and using a domain, Internet users receive a number of direct benefits for themselves as individual or the organizations they manage. For example, proper use of a domain name allows the registrant control over privacy and security, freedom of expression, social and economic development, creative opportunities. It is these measures of control that make domain names the key component of the digital value proposal.
The presentation looks at how the digital value proposal can be maintained to the advantage of all Internet users.
Klaus Stoll is an internet pioneer with substantial experience in nonprofit governance, Internet governance and implementing information communications technologies (ICTs) for development and capacity building in Latin America, Africa, India, Asia and Europe. Most recently, Mr. Stoll founded The Brocas Group, LLC, a for profit organization that organizes programs devoted to Internet awareness and capacity building for NGO's. He is currently chair of the Non Profit Operational Concerns constituency (NPOC) at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). He has been an active participant in internet policy making since before ICANN's inception in 1998. Through his activities at ICANN, Mr. Stoll is familiar with the challenges faced by registries, registries and end users of the domain name system (DNS). Mr. Stoll's personal goal is to further develop, in co-operation with other relevant organizations and individuals, the policies, strategies and tools that are very much needed in order to use the available information technologies as an effective means for just development.
The Club's General Meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at Faith United Church, 1778 Nash Road in Courtice, 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend.
