the Research Center for Information Law at the University of St.Gallen, Switzerland

Innaugural Meeting of the Network of European Muslim Technology Entrepreneurs
On the occasion of the founding of the Network of European Muslim Technology Entrepreneurs, Prof. Urs Gasser was invited to take part in a panel discussion on the "Potential of the Internet and Civic Activity." Gasser gave a short presentation on the involvement of virtual communities in the political process. An article on the meeting is available in Spanish here. (19 November 08)

Digital Natives in the News
Urs Gasser spoke with the German radio broadcaster Deutschlandfunk on the subject of the generation of digital natives. An MP3 file of the interview is available here. Meanwhile, the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger featured comments from Gasser concerning students' use of the internet to insult or criticize teachers. The article is available in German here. (19 November 08)

Swissinfo takes a look at the Swiss-based File Storage Service RapidShare
The Swiss news service Swissinfo has published a story on the Swiss file storage service RapidShare which pays particular attention to potential issues of legal liability for copyright infringement. Urs Gasser provided comments on attempts to counter online copyright infringement and the emergence of a culture of sharing. The article is available here. (19 November 08)

Swiss TV program Kassensturz examines Data Privacy concerns surrounding Search Engine Giant Google
The Swiss television program "Kassensturz" questioned whether Google's practices conformed with Swiss data privacy law. The program featured a talk with Urs Gasser in which he provided his own thoughts on the subject. Following the show, Gasser participated in a live online chat in which viewers could pose their own questions. A streaming video of the program is available for viewing here. (19 November 08)

Article in the Tages-Anzeiger discusses the Generation of Digital Natives
An article (in German) on the online version of the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger discusses how the first generation to grow up with pervasive digital technologies differs from previous generations. Three books related to the subject are also highlighted alongside the article--among them is Generation Internet, which is declared to represent the most scholarly publication of the three. (10 November 08)

Austrian Broadcast Network ORF features story on Global Network Initiative
Günter Hack of ORF's futureZone discussed the origins and objectives of the Global Network Initiative with FIR Director Urs Gasser. The interview is available here. (3 November 08)

Urs Gasser featured in podcast
FIR Director Urs Gasser discusses Generation Internet in a podcast with journalists from the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger. The podcast is available for streaming or download here. (31 October 08)

Global Network Initiative Launched
An initiative aimed at providing information and communications technology (ICT) companies with guidance for the protection and advancement of freedom of expression and privacy in their global operations has now been launched. At the foundation of the Global Network Initiative's objectives are 3 documents which reflect years of effort on the part of a diverse group of parties, including human rights organizations, academics, investment firms, and ICT companies. The FIR was privileged to be among the organizations that contributed to the process of developing and drafting these documents. The documents as well as additional information about the initiative are available on the Global Network Initiative website. (29 October 08)

Urs Gasser interviewed in the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung"
The Swiss newspaper "Neue Zürcher Zeitung" has interviewed FIR-Director Urs Gasser concerning the book "Born digital" which has recently appeared in German translation. The interview, which discusses the paradox of online identities, data protection and other legal challenges in addition to other issues, can be accessed here. (21 October 08)

Generation Internet featured in the Literary Supplement of the Süddeutschen Zeitung and in the St. Galler Tagblatt
A review of the German publication Generation Internet has appeared in today's issue of the Süddeutschen Zeitung. The article is available in German here. Additionally, a report on the book release which was held in one of St. Gallen's cultural centers, the Palace, is available here. (14 October 08 rev. 16 October 08)

Urs Gasser featured on Swiss Radio DRS
Swiss Radio DRS3 aired a radio program reviewing the history of the digital revolution which included a discussion with Urs Gasser concerning the future implications of the internet for society. The full program as data stream or downloadable MP3 is available here. The discussion with Gasser begins about 48 minutes into the program. (13 October 08)

Digital Natives in the News
New articles on the publication of Generation Internet have appeared in the Frankfurter Rundschau and Süddeutschen Zeitung, and an article on Born Digital is featured in the Washington Post. (9 October 08)

Urs Gasser interviewed by the Tages-Anzeiger on the Subjects of Video Game Violence and the Potential of and Risks associated with the Internet
In light of the recent publication of Generation Internet, the Swiss newspaper, Tages-Anzeiger, conducted an interview with FIR Director Urs Gasser concerning the question of regulating video games and the internet for the sake of younger generations. The interview is available in German here. (8 October 08)

FIR Legal Opinion referenced in Article concerning Swiss Parliamentary Action pertaining to Regulation of the Cable Industry
An article appearing in Der Bund, which reported on developments relating to a motion to prohibit the encryption of basic television services on the part of cable providers, made reference to a legal opinion drafted by FIR Director Urs Gasser. An online version of the article is available in German here. (6 October 08)

Urs Gasser interviewed by St. Galler Tagblatt with regard to the newly published book Generation Internet
The interview, concerning the generation of digital natives, regulation of the internet, and the impact of the internet on society, in addition to a related article are available in German here on the Tagblatt website. (6 October 08)

Book Release Party on October 9th in the Palace, Blumenbergplatz, St. Gallen, 7 pm

John Palfrey and Urs Gasser will present the German translation of Born Digital, titled Generation Internet. Please RSVP with Jan Gerlach if you plan to attend. (23 September 08)

Interoperability Study presented in Peru
As a member of the U.S. delegation, FIR-Director Urs Gasser presented the policy conclusions from the joint Berkman/St. Gallen research project on ICT Interoperability and eInnovation yesterday at the APEC Ministerial Meeting in Chiclayo, Peru. (28 August 08)

Official Release Day of "Born Digital"

Today is the official release date of the book "Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives" by FIR-director Urs Gasser and FIR-board member John Palfrey. Visit the book's website for further information on the book. (25 August 08)

Born Digital Book Site Launched
A new website has been launced to provide information on the forthcoming publication from John Palfrey and Urs Gasser Born Digital. The site features excerpts from the book, endorsements, and links to sites where the book can be published in addition to information about the authors and links to resources associated with the joint Digital Natives Project of the Berkman Center and FIR. (14 August 08)

Article from John Palfrey and Urs Gasser appears in the Summer 2008 issue of the New England Journal of Higher Education
The Summer 2008 edition of the New England Journal of Higher Education features an article from Berkman Center Faculty Co-Director and FIR-Board Member John Palfrey and FIR-Director Urs Gasser containing recommendations for higher education in the digital age. (5 August 08)

FIR Interview and Study discussed on Swiss Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger's Blog
The blogging Swiss Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger recently commented on questions regarding the democratic potential of political online communication which were part of an interview conducted by the FIR in connection with an ongoing research project. The interview about his blog as well as further remarks from the Federal Councillor (in German) may be found here. (5 August 08)

Summer Update
FIR-Director Urs Gasser recently presented key findings of the Digital Natives Project at the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul, Korea. On behalf of the FIR-team, he further presented three draft case studies on e-voting, Smartvote, and executive communication at an Internet & Democracy conference held in Budapest, organized by the Berkman Center at Harvard University. Together with Visiting Professor John Palfrey, he attended the First International Symposium on Information Law hosted by the Ionian University in Corfu, where they presented their book Born Digital and talked about the Information Law approach, respectively. With FIR-president Prof. Herbert Burkert, Urs attended a meeting of and serves as an advisor to the European Social Networking Task Force. (8 July 08)

Steckborn Conference on Copyright Education
Together with the Berkman Center, the FIR held a 3-day, interdisciplinary workshop in Steckborn (Thurgau), Switzerland with the title "Learning a foreign language: Workshop on copyright curriculum for youth." Twenty leading experts from the USA and Europe took part in the discussion of the question of how to design a balanced and appropriate curriculum to educate Digital Natives about copyright law. The workshop was held as part of the Digital Natives Project. (3 June 08)

Urs Gasser and Viktor Mayer-Schoenberger at Berlin Conference sponsored by the Hans Bredow Institut and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
Prof. Urs Gasser held a presentation on digital ADR institutions within a workshop on legal issues concerning virtual worlds. At the podium discussion for the same conference, FIR Board Member Prof. Mayer-Schoenberger delivered a Keynote Speech on the the regulation of virtual worlds. The conference program and presentation materials are available on the conference website hosted by the Hans Bredow Institut. (3 June 08, rev. 9 June 08)

John Palfrey appointed Vice Dean and tenured Professor of Law
John G. Palfrey, FIR-Board Member and St. Gallen Visiting Professor, has been appointed Vice Dean of Library and Information Resources and tenured Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. Please join us in congratulating our colleague and friend on occasion of this great honor. Further information may be found in the official announcement on the Harvard Law School site. (7 May 08)

Urs Gasser delivers presentations on Web 2.0
FIR-Director Urs Gasser delivered a presentation on the legal and regulatory risks of Web 2.0 business models at the Start Summit 2008 and spoke about the use of Web 2.0 applications in enterprises at a continuing education event organized by the Univ. of St. Gallen's Learning Center. (22 April 08)

Information Law Conference in Greifswald, Germany
FIR founding members and current Board Member and Faculty Director, Prof. Jean Nicholas Druey and Prof. Rainer J. Schweizer, respectively, attended a four day conference sponsored by the Alfred Krupp Wissenschaftskolleg in Greifswald, Germany from March 3 - 6. Prof. Druey delivered a presentation on information as a unified subject of regulation, and Prof. Schweizer presented a comparative study of the development of a right to "informational self-determination." Board Member Viktor Mayer-Schönberger was also in attendance and reflected on the multifaceted nature of information law in a presentation entitled "Das Informationsrecht als Panoptikum." See also the conference web page for additional information. (27 March 08)

Urs Gasser speaks on Panel on Human Rights and Cyberspace
FIR-Director Urs Gasser contributed to a panel led by HSG-Visiting Professor John Palfrey on human rights and cyberspace at Harvard Law School's conference "A Celebration of Public Interest." (17 March 08)

Interoperability Study presented in Southeast Asia
FIR-Director Urs Gasser presented the Berkman/St. Gallen study on ICT Interoperability and eInnovation at a conference on innovation policy and at two governmental expert workshops in Singapore, Hanoi, and Hong Kong. (10 March 08)

Call for Papers issued for COMMUNIA Conference
The COMMUNIA Network has issued a Call for Papers for an upcoming conference on the "Public Domain in the Digital Age." The conference will focus on the economic and social impact of a digital public domain throughout Europe. For more details, visit the conference webpage. (4 March 08)