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<p style="text-align: left;">On Thursday, February 3rd, 2011 at
12:00 PM EST (GMT-5) Access will be hosting a live streamed online
symposium entitled: <em>The Middle East, the Revolution, and the
Internet</em>. The full description of the event appears below.
Symposium participants include: </p>
<ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; list-style-type: disc; padding:
0px;">
<li style="list-style-type: disc; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Frank
La Rue: United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and
protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression</li>
<li style="list-style-type: disc; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Marietje
Schaake: Dutch Member of the European Parliament</li>
<li style="list-style-type: disc; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Jillian
York: Harvard University Berkman Center</li>
<li style="list-style-type: disc; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Tarek
Amr: Egyptian Digital Activist on Global Voices</li>
<li style="list-style-type: disc; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Walid
Al-Saqaf: Yemeni software developer and journalist</li>
<li style="list-style-type: disc; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Brett
Solomon: Access (Moderator)</li>
</ul>
<p><em>During the event, you can tweet questions using the #Q4Access
hashtag or e-mail us at <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:info@accessnow.org">info@accessnow.org</a></em>. </p>
<h3>The Middle East, the Revolution, and the Internet</h3>
<p>Tech-utopians and tech-doomsayers continue their debate over the
impact of the internet on politics and democracy. Meanwhile mass
demonstrations have spread across the Middle East, causing the
downfall of one government and putting others on high alert. In
each case we know technology has played a vital role in mobilizing
protestors and transmitting information in real time around the
globe. The existential threat it plays to a regime has been
demonstrated by Egypt's internet shutdown. “The Middle East, the
Revolution and the Internet” brings together experts in the field
to discuss and debate the issues in real time.</p>
<p>Access's live web symposium will examine the impact of new
(social) media and the internet on political freedom. On the one
hand, we can expect grassroots activists to make use of technology
to facilitate their activities. On the other hand, the new era
provides opportunities for dictators and regimes to survey and
monitor like never before. With voices from academia to the front
line, Access will explore how activists use the net, the
challenges for state actors, and the likely winners and losers in
the digital cat and mouse game.</p>
<p>Please join us for this in-depth and dynamic discussion.</p>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.accessnow.org/policy-activism/press-blog/The-Middle-East-The-Revolution-And-The-Internet">https://www.accessnow.org/policy-activism/press-blog/The-Middle-East-The-Revolution-And-The-Internet</a><br>
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