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Global Internet Freedom: A Foreign Policy Imperative in a Digital Age

Global Internet Freedom: A Foreign Policy Imperative in a Digital Age
video photo
Date:

May 10, 2012
9:30am - 11:00am

Location:

U.S. Capitol Visitor's Center, Room SVC 208-209
E Capitol Street N.E. & 1st Street N.E.
Washington, DC 20515

Featuring members of the U.S. Senate and House
Global Internet Freedom Caucuses

Caucus Co-Chairs: Senators Chris Coons, Mark Kirk, Bob Casey, Jr.
and Representative Chris Smith

The transformative political power of the Internet has seized the imagination of millions in the United States and abroad. The Arab Spring and other popular movements around the world highlight the role of new communications tools in spurring political change. At the same time, autocratic governments seek to suppress the free use of these tools. As the United States government has articulated a strategy of promoting global Internet freedom, Congress has a critical role to play in determining how the United States will manage this key foreign policy issue.

On May 10, from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) will hosted an event featuring the Senate and House Caucuses on Global Internet Freedom, which provide bipartisan leadership and serve as a resource in the Washington policy community on this important issue. The event featured remarks from caucus members Senator Chris Coons (D - DE) and Congressman Chris Smith (R - NJ). It also featured a panel discussion among experts, including: Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; Daniel Calingaert, Vice President for Policy and External Relations at Freedom House; Pablo Chavez, Director of Public Policy at Google; Rebecca MacKinnon of the New America Foundation; and Richard Fontaine, Senior Advisor at CNAS. Caucus members and panelists took questions from the audience and press.

Date & Time
Thursday, May 10, 2012
9:30-11:00 a.m.
Guest registration begins at 9:00 a.m.

Location
U.S. Capitol Visitor's Center, Room SVC 208-209
E Capitol Street N.E. & 1st Street N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20515

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