IGF 2012 Workshop Proposal :: (No: 174) Online Dispute Resolution: Justice on the Net

Status:

IGF Theme(s) for workshop:

  • Internet Governance for Development [IG4D] cross cutting priority
  • Emerging Issues
  • Other

Main theme question address by workshop:

Concise description of the proposed workshop:

More than 100 million disputes are filed online each year around the world, and the number is growing every month. As our society becomes increasingly wired, internet users expect that they will be able to use the latest information and communication technologies to get their issues resolved as quickly and effectively as possible. Unfortunately the default channel for resolving most problems, the courts, are unable to deal with online, high volume, low value cases. Governments and international institutions have concluded that Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) is the best option for providing fair redress for these cases, and several (including UNCITRAL and the European Union) have recently announced plans to launch cross-border ODR schemes. Even with that emerging consensus many crucial details have yet to be worked out: How can fairness be ensured? Who should act as the decision makers? Should outcomes be binding? How can these systems benefit the developing world? We propose a workshop proposal on Online Dispute Resolution to tackle these questions, bringing experts in ODR together with internet policy designers from around the world. Now is the window of opportunity to design these systems in such a way that they are transparent and trustworthy, and we believe that IGF is the right forum to convene such conversation and exchange our views and concerns.

Background Paper:


Name of the organiser(s) of the workshop and their affiliation to various stakeholder groups:

Founder and Managing Director of The MediationRoom, United Kingdom, Private Sector

Have you, or any of your co-organisers, organised an IGF workshop before?: No

Please provide link(s) to workshop(s) or report(s):


Provide the names and affiliations of the panellists you are planning to invite:

Professor John Zeleznikow (Australia) creator of Family Winner (Mr.)
Orna Rabinovic-Einy (Israel)(Ms.)
Dan Rainey (USA)..National Mediation Board(Mr.)
Dr Martin Gramatikov (Netherlands)...Leader of www.emcod.net(Mr.)
Mohamed Wahab (Egypt) (Mr.)
Przemysław Pęcherzewski (University of Wroclaw,Poland)
Professor Richard Susskind (UK)
Jim Ring (USA)..www.fairoutcomes.com
Colin Rule (USA), Modria.com, CE

Name of Remote Moderator(s):

TBC