Must Come Together and Unite as Force for Good; Join Discussion on December 10

SILICON VALLEY, Calif. – October 30, 2018 – Internet and technology pioneers Vint Cerf, Wendy Hall and Tim Berners-Lee, along with key visionaries and positive change agents, will convene to reflect on the past three decades and pave the path for the future of the Internet, determining what it means for connected societies and those yet to be connected. The event titled “Our People-Centered Digital Future” will be hosted at the Fairmont in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, December 10, 2018, on the 70th Anniversary of the United Nations' Declaration of Human Rights.

In early 2019, half of the world will be online; this inflection point marks an important moment for examining the unfinished work of the Internet and discussing the community norms, human rights and social contracts required in this exponential digital era. The Internet has upended traditional structures, creating innumerable opportunities and bringing many unforeseen consequences. This event aligns with the mission of the People-Centered Internet coalition (PCI), which aims to ensure that the Internet continues to improve people’s lives and livelihoods, and the WebFoundation, which works for a world where everyone has the same rights and opportunities online. Topics will focus on how historic notions of human rights translate to the digital world and will address key issues, including how identity and personal data transcend national boundaries, how to avoid the threat of digitally enabled tyrannies, how to work toward more people-centered societies and how to create a benevolent distribution of power in a digitally connected world.

“We have watched the Internet evolve over 35 years of operation and now have a unique opportunity to apply what we’ve learned to frame the next thirty years of the Internet arc,” said Vint Cerf, chair of the People-Centered Internet coalition. “We must help the next generation assure that the Internet remains an accessible, affordable and inclusive infrastructure for good.”

"After World War II, world leaders came together to protect against the atrocities from that time and issued the UN Declaration of Human Rights. Having now seen both the good and dark sides of the Internet and related technologies, we need to come together and ensure technology puts people and communities first in the decades ahead," added Dr. David Bray, executive director at PCI. "This is a call to action for all positive change agents to do their part and ensure a more altruistic future for us all."

“Constellation believes access to the Internet, data privacy as an inherent property right and human rights in a digital age will shape the future of humanity,” said R “Ray” Wang, PCI Board Member and CEO of Constellation Research, Inc. “As a society, we need to get in front of this issue, understand it and embrace a position of human freedom over corporate and government tyranny. This historic event creates the dialogue needed to determine our digital future, and we’re excited to work with the People-Centered Internet coalition, United Nations and IEEE to jumpstart this conversation.”

Portions of the event will be globally live streamed through YouTube. The day will close out with a special VIP gala celebrating the launch of the PCI Challenges, which looks to recognize those groups and communities working to build a more benevolent digital future.

For more information, visit: https://www.constellationr.com/events/PCDF
For more information on the PCI Challenges, visit: https://www.peoplecentered.net/

About Constellation Research

As an award-winning, Silicon Valley-based strategic advisory and futurist analyst firm, Constellation Research serves as innovation advisors for leaders and organizations navigating the challenges of digital strategy, business-model disruption and digital transformation. Unlike legacy analyst firms, Constellation works closely with solution providers, partners, and its Constellation Executive Network of buy-side leaders, C-suite executives and board of directors to lead the way in disrupting technology and business research coverage areas and what clients need to achieve valuable business results.

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