Our featured speaker has been in DC working on the Cyber-Security Information Protection Act (CISPA) all last week, and will be at a hearing regarding location tracking and privacy this Thursday. While the postponement may be inconvenient for some, he will have much more information for us regarding the voting and potential impact of CISPA upon individual rights in the United States.

The time for the event remains unchanged: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. A light meal will still be provided. Event location will be confirmed soon.

Cybersecurity: What Is the Proper Role of the Government?

Cybersecurity, long a concern of tech industry insiders, has been in the news a lot lately. It’s also been increasingly on the agenda of government agencies and policymakers. And that could be a cause for concern for those interested in preserving openness, innovation and freedom on the Internet.

The San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Internet Society (SF Bay ISOC) is joining with the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) to sponsor a public discussion on the difficult challenges of crafting government policy to enhance private sector cybersecurity. Jim Dempsey, CDT’s Vice President for Public Policy, will speak on the topic, with a question-and-answer session immediately following.

The event is scheduled for Wednesday, May 15^th, 2013, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., PDT. It will be held at the LinkedIn facility at 2029 Stierlin Court in Mountain View, California. Signage will direct attendees where to park and to the building entrance. A light dinner will be provided. For more information, please visit www.sfbayisoc.org or www.cdt.org.

Jim Dempsey has been with CDT for 15 years.  He currently heads CDT West.  He is quoted often in the media and has testified numerous times before congressional committees. Prior to joining CDT, Mr. Dempsey served for ten years on the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights.

Internet Society’s President and Chief Executive Officer Lynn St. Amour to Step Down in February 2014
[Washington, D.C. and Geneva, Switzerland – 14 February 2013] – Internet Society President and Chief Executive Officer Lynn St. Amour today announced that she will leave the Internet Society in February 2014 at the conclusion of her contract.  St. Amour joined the Internet Society in 1998 as Executive Director of its Europe, Middle East, and Africa division.  She became Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer in 1999 and was appointed President and CEO in March of 2001.

St. Amour will leave a long legacy of accomplishments at the Internet Society, a cause-driven organization dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet for the benefit of all people.  During her tenure, the relationship between the Internet Society and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the primary body responsible for the Internet’s core standards and protocols, was significantly strengthened and expanded. This increased collaboration and other similar efforts in the international policy and development realms established the Internet Society as an internationally respected expert on Internet governance, technical, development, and policy issues.  These accomplishments were supported by the growth of the Internet Society’s annual revenues during this period from just over USD $1M to $35M.

Over the years, the Internet Society has significantly expanded its global impact and today is engaged with a growing, multi-stakeholder community through its Regional Bureaus, 91 Chapters, more than 65,000 Members, and 146 Organization Members.  In 2003, St. Amour led a successful bid to operate the .ORG registry and subsequently established a supporting entity, Public Interest Registry, to carry out that responsibility in line with the Internet Society’s principles and values. In conjunction with the Internet Society’s 20th anniversary in 2012, she developed the Internet Hall of Fame, which annually recognizes Internet visionaries, innovators, and leaders from around the world.

“The Board deeply appreciates Lynn for her exceptional work, passion, and tireless dedication to the organization’s mission of preserving the open, global Internet,” said Eva Frölich, Chair of the Internet Society Board of Trustees.  “She is a remarkable leader and has been instrumental to building the Internet Society into a global leader on Internet policy, technical, economic, and social matters.  The Board will work closely with Lynn over the next 12 months to implement a succession plan and ensure a smooth transition.”

“The Internet Society is a global organization with a world-class staff, extremely knowledgeable Members and Chapters, and a skilled Board, and we are well positioned with a valuable and unique role at the heart of the Internet’s development. Our future is only limited by our vision,” stated Ms. St. Amour. “The Internet is at a very important inflection point today. With the Internet Society’s well-respected and global presence, I am confident that the Society will make an even greater impact in the years ahead.”

About the Internet Society
The Internet Society is the trusted independent source for Internet information and thought leadership from around the world. With its principled vision and substantial technological foundation, the Internet Society promotes open dialogue on Internet policy, technology, and future development among users, companies, governments, and other organizations. Working with its members and Chapters around the world, the Internet Society enables the continued evolution and growth of the Internet for everyone. For more information, visit www.internetsociety.org.

Media Contact: Wende Cover, cover@isoc.org, +1-703-439-277
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Please join us!

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank some very key people in helping getting this site launched. Special thanks to board members Annalisa Roger, Michael Snell and chapter member Stefanie Lynch for collaborating on this effort to launch our new site.

Zaid Ali, Chairman/President SFBAY ISOC

Paul came to ISOC earlier this year from the Motion Picture
Association of America (MPAA). He is very familiar with the copyright
holders’ lines of argument around Intellectual Property protection on the
internet. Come and hear his perspective on his first year in this position,
and what he is focusing upon so far. You might be surprised at some of the
dialogues he is establishing. He’s also here to get your feedback on what
he can do to support our local chapter’s activities.