MAPPING is a FP7 funded project with a duration of 48 months. The final goal is to provide a road map for
the technological development of the EU. Therefore, it includes the three focus areas “Internet Governance, Privacy and IPR. As a mutual learning project, MAPPING tries to involve a wide spectrum of ICT-related stakeholders in order to identify current problems and to find workable solutions.
Managing Alternatives for Privacy, Property and Internet Governance
Introduction
MAPPING is a FP7 funded project with a duration of 48 months. It is based on the predecessor projects SMART, RESPECT and CONSENT in which the IRI was involved as well. MAPPING’s goal is to create an all-round and “joined-up” understanding of the many and varied economic, social, legal and ethical aspects of the recent developments on the Internet, and their consequences for the individual and society at large. The project can be seen as the final part of the European Union’s Digital Agenda which should lead to a modern, innovative EU.
Motivation
After investigating on-line consent and privacy in social networks (CONSENT) and smart on-line surveillance (SMART, RESPECT), MAPPING will specifically investigate and debate the existing innovation policies, business models and legal frameworks related to the implementation of the Digital Agenda for Europe and the changes needed to set up an improved governance structure for the EU innovation ecosystem. In order to accomplish this, MAPPING will try to mobilize a wide spectrum of ICT-related stakeholders and social actors from the EU and associated countries. This will also include academics, law and policy makers, Internet Service Provider, international Internet governance bodies, NGOs and civil society organizations. Using the project as a platform for informed discussions, these actors can contribute ideas for finding solutions in problem areas like Personal Data and the protection of Intellectual Property Rights online. These solutions will be put in an action plan to put forward workable policy guidelines to shape the European Union’s technological future.
Challenges & Highlights
The Internet and all corresponding aspects offer a huge variety of problems. It is more or less impossible to find solutions that are in everyone’s interest. In order to make proper decisions, many aspects have to be taken into account and carefully considered. Since some debates got stuck over the past years (e.g. about the Intellectual Property Rights protection online), it may be possible that some discussions between international actors within the project require mediation to allow objective discussions.